


The Collection 2.0

by Emilia_Rowan



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alpha Kara Danvers, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Attempted Sexual Assault, Dubious Consent, F/F, Knotting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Lena Luthor, Questionable ethics, Slow Burn, Supercorp endgame, alien abduction kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 148,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23047423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilia_Rowan/pseuds/Emilia_Rowan
Summary: Krypton is a dying planet. Desperate to save their world, Kryptonians come to Earth seeking humans to help repopulate their species. Every year women are taken from Earth to be mates for Kryptonian Alphas. This is known as the Collection.*check the tags before reading**this is an edited rewrite of an earlier fic*
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Lucy Lane/James "Jimmy" Olsen, Russell Rogers/Andrea Rojas, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 1324
Kudos: 3910





	1. Prologue & Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Collection](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21685201) by [Emilia_Rowan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilia_Rowan/pseuds/Emilia_Rowan). 



> Hi All,  
> I started writing The Collection with NO IDEA where the story was actually going and not expecting it would be very popular AT ALL and it has surpassed all expectations, both in readership and my own abilities as a writer. But, as often happens when I don't have at least a general outline of a story, I got deeper into it and there were some things that weren't working for me creatively. And then I got a horrible case of writer's block.  
> So I have gone back and made a few changes to the story in order for it to continue the way I want it to. The main Supercorp storyline will remain unchanged, the changes will mostly apply to side characters and secondary storylines, but even if you have read my earlier work you will want to go back and reread this version to understand the changes.  
> Thank you all for reading!  
> Sincerely,  
> Emilia Rowan

**Prologue**

The year was 2034 when the aliens arrived.

They appeared without warning, their massive, impenetrable gray space ships dominated the skyline above every major Earth city, including Metropolis, sending the media into a tailspin. The governments of the world argued back and forth on what to do, with some— the US— trying to fire on the ships, but nothing even breached the force fields that surrounded each ship, not even reaching the hulls made of an unearthly metal. The falling debris from the resulting explosions caused more damage to the humans and the surrounding structures than it did to the ships, so the attacks ceased, and thankfully the aliens didn’t retaliate.

The first contact came within hours of the ships’ arrivals. For days governments and organizations from around the world met to communicate with the aliens, but what the aliens wanted was kept closely under wraps. The talks lasted for two days, while the world waited and watched. Then, seventy-four hours after they arrived, news agencies around the globe simultaneously released an extremely scripted broadcast.

The aliens were from a planet called Krypton, but it had been abandoned after a biochemical weapon infected the atmosphere. The survivors lived on a smaller planet called Argo now. The Kryptonians were outwardly human in appearance, but with a slight difference. Beyond male and female, their planet had two biological roles— Alphas, the more dominant sex, and Omegas, the more submissive sex which carried their young; and alphas and omegas could be both male or female. However, now there were no omegas— all killed as a result of the weaponized virus that made their home planet uninhabitable. The remaining Alphas were long-lived, but their species was slowly dying off.

Scientists from all over the world came forward to assist the alien race. Some were even taken back to Argo, to continue studying there. For five years, Kryptonian and human scientists worked together to try to find a solution to their fertility problems, but even with the advanced science of the Kryptonians, their attempts to enable the alphas to carry offspring was in vain.

Five years after they arrived, the Kryptonian ships returned, and this time their demands had changed. They had been unsuccessful in impregnating their alphas, but they had succeeded in impregnating a human. Apparently one of the human female scientists had begun an affair with one of the Kryptonian alphas, and it had resulted in a viable pregnancy. Few other details were given, but the Kryptonians now saw a way to save their species— interbreeding with human females.

The impenetrable Kryptonian ships floated above every major city in the world yet again, and this time the weapons on their bows seemed even more apparent. Moreso, after years of interacting with the aliens, humans had learned that they had superhuman abilities— they couldn’t be harmed by gunfire or flame, they could run faster than a speeding bullet, their eyes shot rays of heat, and they could blow freezing blasts of air from their lungs.

Rumor was that they could even fly.

With their superhuman powers and advanced weaponry, the Kryptonians were not a race humanity was prepared to go to war against. And, government officials claimed, their demands were not all that preposterous after all— one million women, over a ten year time period. It wasn’t a drop in the bucket, according to scientists, not enough to affect the human species, but perhaps enough to save the Kryptonians.

The question then turned to how to select the women the aliens would take. There were a few volunteers from various parts of the world, but overall the prospect of going to an alien planet to be used as breeding chattel was not all that appealing. Each government set its own program to select women. In the end, even in the developed countries, it came down to money, some countries just tried to hide it more than others.

In the United States, women between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-eight were all required to submit genetic samples, undergo a psychological evaluation, and from the viable candidates a lottery system was put in place. Married women and those pursuing higher education were considered exempt from the lottery selection. This led to an increase in early marriages and women pursuing advanced degrees. If a woman was selected from the lottery, her family was financially compensated. Rumors spread about the system— that poor families were practically selling their daughters, and that rich families could pay off the system so that their daughters weren’t taken— but officials vehemently denied any such accusations.

Every year, on the anniversary of their arrival, the Kryptonians would return to collect the women who were chosen. The government and the media called it The Collection.

——

Lena Luthor was twelve years old when the Kryptonians arrived. The Luthors were in Metropolis, and she remembered staring up at the huge gray ships with a mixture of fear and wonderment. Lillian, her adoptive mother, had ushered her away from windows, cursing her childish curiosity, and they had huddled in the interior of the Luthor mansion for days.

Lionel had been one of the first to offer scientific aid to the Kryptonians. He wasn’t a scientist himself, but LuthorCorp had scientists from numerous fields working under its helm, from geologists to biochemists. He offered their aid at no cost, something his twenty-year-old son couldn’t fathom.

“Just imagine if it’s a LuthorCorp scientist who solves their problems, Lex,” Lionel exclaimed maniacally over dinner, his glass of scotch sloshing in his hand. “What would an advanced alien race be willing to share with the company who saved them? Better us than the government, that’s for damn sure.”

Lionel was dead by the time the Collection began— cirrhosis of the liver, not exactly a shocking cause of death. Lena was seventeen, and blissfully ignorant of any possibility she could be one of the women Collected. She was a _Luthor_ after all. If the rumors around her boarding school were true, she could pay her way out of being Collected. So she didn’t worry.

Twenty-two year old Lena was a bit more realistic, particularly when she was summoned the day after her birthday to submit to the required genetic testing and psychological evaluation. Having her blood drawn didn’t really faze her, but then they led her to a separate room for the psychological evaluation, and a nurse approached her with a syringe filled with clear liquid.

“What’s that?” she demanded, even as her upper arm was cleaned with an alcohol wipe.

“Just a little something to make sure you’re truthful in your evaluation, Miss Luthor,” the nurse explained. “It makes you feel a bit out of sorts, but it burns out of your system in fifteen minutes or so.”

The liquid in the syringe burned as it spread through her arm, and she could almost feel it spreading through her entire body, a warm bubbly sensation. She felt light, colors looked brighter, and she clicked her tongue impatiently as she waited for the psychologist— a stiff-looking middle-aged man with dull brown eyes and a heavy brow.

She answered the questions as succinctly as possible.

“Full name?”

“Lena Kieran Luthor.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Are you currently in a romantic relationship?”

“Yes.”

“What is your partner’s name?”

“His name is Jack Spheer,” Lena said, and she realized that her words were slightly slurred.

“Have you ever had a romantic or sexual relationship with a woman?”

“No,” Lena replied, but her tongue suddenly felt thick in her mouth and a dull burning sensation began in her throat.

“Have you ever had any romantic or sexual attraction toward a woman?”

The denial was on the tip of her tongue, but the burning sensation roared to life before she could speak. Lena’s mind was flooded with memories of Veronica, the older girl who had teased her mercilessly for how her gaze lingered on her in the classroom, memories of Taylor, the first girl she had a crush on in middle school, who she was sure Lillian paid to transfer to another school, and memories of her best friend since they were sixteen, Andrea, and the feelings she had when they were curled up together on the sofa, watching The Titanic and quoting it line for line.

“Y—yes,” she stuttered, and the burning ceased.

She wasn’t sure what all of those questions meant, but that was the day she decided she would continue her education. She had gotten two bachelor’s degrees by twenty, her first master’s at twenty-one, and had started working on a small start-up with Jack. Three days after her visit to the Collection Bureau, she broke up with Jack and returned to college to pursue yet another master’s degree, making herself ineligible for the Collection. It was just three more years, and she could afford to stay in school for that long.

Then all hell broke loose.

Lex was arrested a year later, when she was twenty-three. The brother she once adored had engineered a chemical that could harm Kryptonians— he called it Kryptonite— and had bombed half-a-dozen Collection Bureaus with the stuff, killing all humans and Kryptonians who worked in them. The death total was over sixty, and the governments were furious, driven by fear of Kryptonian retribution. The trial was swift, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Lillian took over LuthorCorp, and Lena returned to her studies. But two years later, Lillian was arrested for embezzlement, and Lena had a choice to make.

She could give up her family’s company, continue her studies, and be exempt from the Collection.

Or she could leave her studies and take up the helm at LuthorCorp, and risk her number being drawn in the Collection.

It was her pride that made her decision. She was a Luthor, and she wasn’t about to give up on the company that had been in her family for generations. She left MIT for Metropolis and went to work trying to pull the company out of the hole her brother and adoptive mother had dug. After all, it was the last year of the Collection, what were the chances of her number being drawn?

**Chapter One**

Lena stared at the spreadsheets and reports in front of her with knitted brows, as if the numbers would conform to her wishes the same way her employees and board members bowed to her withering glare. But numbers were numbers, money was money, and there was no changing what was on the screens and papers she was reading.

LuthorCorp was failing.

In the six months since she had taken over as CEO of LuthorCorp, Lena had spent countless sleepless nights trying to find a way to save her family’s company. Her brother had sunk billions of dollars into his research into Kryptonite, and the government had seized any results from that without any recompense. What money was left, Lillian had funneled into offshore accounts that even Lena couldn’t access now that her mother was in jail. Lena was left with few choices— she could try to hold on, make some desperate maneuvers, and there was a slim possibility that the company might not go under, or she could use the company’s last remaining resources to give her employees quality severance packages and sell any remaining real estate to pay out the shareholders.

And though she took pride in her family’s company, Lena was leaning toward the second option.

Her head was throbbing and for a moment her vision blurred. Lena bowed her head and rubbed her temples. The headaches had started about the same time Lex was arrested, and only grew worse with each passing day. She chalked it all up to stress and sleepless nights.

She was tired, so tired of fighting a battle she didn’t begin. Lex was supposed to be the CEO. She had always thought she would work in LuthorCorp’s research and development department, using her degrees in bioengineering and physics to create world-changing technologies. Instead she was using her business degree— the one she had only obtained at Lillian’s urging, oddly enough— and in a position she never wanted to hold.

“Miss Luthor?”

The voice over her intercom wasn’t particularly loud or harsh, but Lena cringed anyway as the sound pierced her ears. When she opened her eyes she blinked several times until the spots of light cleared from her vision.

“Yes, Jess?” she replied.

Nothing but static sounded over the intercom and before Lena could question it, the doors to her office burst open. Three men in black uniforms with yellow armbands and the letters USCB emblazoned across their chests stomped into the office, the sound of their heavy boots echoing against the stone floors.

_USCB._

_United States Collection Bureau._

Jess followed close behind her, but her approach to Lena was blocked by the burly arm of one of the Collection agents. “I’m sorry, Miss Luthor, they just—“

“Lena Kieran Luthor, under the authority of the United States Collection Bureau, I am here to escort you to the Metropolis North Collection Center for processing,” one of the agents said, his voice gentle in a way that contrasted with his militant appearance.

Lena’s brow crinkled, both in pain and confusion. “This isn’t normal protocol. The Collection isn’t scheduled to begin for another month. Do you have a writ of surrender?”

Lena knew the normal procedures for women chosen for the Collection well— she had seen two of her best friends taken in the past three years. A notification was delivered to them in person— an official writ of surrender. Once they were notified, they had until a certain date to report to a Collection Center for processing— final medical and psychological checks— before being surrendered to the Kryptonians. This gave the women some time to get their affairs in order before—

“You have been deemed a flight risk, Miss Luthor,” the agent replied. “With your assets, it was determined that there was a high chance that you would attempt to escape the Collection process once a writ of surrender was delivered.”

Well, they weren’t wrong about that, but these men didn’t need to know it.

“That’s absurd!” Lena exclaimed. “I am a law-abiding citizen. I believe in doing my civic duties. Besides, I am the head of a corporation with thousands of employees, I have affairs that need to be set in order, affairs that will affect the livelihoods of those thousands of employees. Give me a writ of surrender, allow me to get my affairs in order, and then I will surrender myself to the Collection Bureau when the time comes.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, Miss Luthor,” the man said. “Orders are orders. You can always press the matter when we arrive at the Collection Center, but we’re here to bring you in, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Lena swallowed hard. She knew the stories, knew that the Collection Centers were more inescapable than any maximum security prison. Once a woman was taken into a Center, the only way out was to board the Kryptonian ships. She glanced at Jess, who was still being blocked by one of the agents.

“Jess, I’m engaging Protocol X,” she said, her calm voice belying her true intentions.

The words had barely left her mouth when an electric hum filled the room and pale blue sheen obscured Lena’s vision of the opposite side of the office— a forcefield falling into place. One of the agents quickly drew his gun and fired— non-lethal tranquilizer darts, Lena knew— but the darts disintegrated when they hit the forcefield. Lena hurried across the room to the wall and pressed her palm against what looked like a small mirror, but was actually a scanner that not only read her handprint but also took DNA from her skin cells. An invisible panel opened in the wall and she slid inside, locking the mechanism behind her.

The escape hatch had been designed by Lex to elude authorities, but they had captured him when he was away from the office. Lena had never imagined she would use it, but in this moment she was very grateful that she knew the protocol.

She took a small elevator down to the ground floor where a room full of disguises— still mostly for men— was waiting. Lena didn’t have time to do much. She tucked her long hair up into a cap and pulled a dirty blonde wig onto her head, changed from her business suit into one of the plain gray scrub uniforms worn by researchers in the biomedical department, and slid a pair of dark-rimmed glasses on her face. She grabbed a coat with pockets full of emergency cash, and headed out the escape route into the lobby.

She could see more Collection agents in the lobby, and two were stationed at each door. They were all alert, inspecting everyone that walked by, but clearly trying not to raise an alarm. Lena fell in step behind a small group of researchers emerging from the regular elevators and kept her head turned slightly away from the agents as she passed, not low enough to stir suspicion, but obstructing her features enough to avoid detection. She followed them through the glass doors and a block down the street from the LuthorCorp office, only then allowing herself to breathe a small sigh of relief.

This wasn’t how she wanted it to go. She had arrangements in place— her own untraceable bank accounts, fake IDs and passports— but all of this was her last resort. Lena was certain that if she could just get to her lawyers, they could get her out of this. If the Collection Bureau wasn’t following protocol, there had to be something unscrupulous going on. If she could just find evidence, she’d have this whole thing—

“You shouldn’t have run.”

The low voice interrupted Lena’s thoughts with a start. She had been so lost in her thoughts, distracted by her still-pounding head, focused only on putting distance between herself and the USCB agents, that she didn’t notice the woman who had fallen into step beside her, though she wasn’t sure how.

The woman was tall and broad-shouldered beneath the thick wool coat she wore. She was beautiful with her blonde curls, tied back in a high ponytail, gleaming in the evening light, and her blue eyes sparkling brightly behind dark-rimmed glasses. She was stunning, really, almost inhuman.

_Oh._

“You’re Kryptonian,” Lena said, her voice low. She didn’t stop walking; instead her eyes darted about, looking for any escape route, though the rapid eye movements made small spheres of light appear in her vision.

The woman leveled her with a studious gaze. “They told me you were a genius, but I didn’t think you were that perceptive.”

“Why are you here?” Lena demanded. “This isn’t… This isn’t how things are supposed to go.”

“I’m here because you’re you,” the Kryptonian said. “And because I want you. And on my planet, an alpha takes what they want.”

Lena saw her chance and took it. She darted into traffic, narrowly avoiding a yellow taxi that skidded to a stop inches from her and blared its horn at her. The sound made her ears ring, but she didn’t stop. A black SUV swerved to miss her, just barely, and clipped the side of a red sedan, metal scraping against metal. A crunching sound alerted Lena to a bumper-to-bumper collision, but she didn’t look back to see what had happened. By some miracle she made it to the opposite side of the street unscathed, though the pounding in her head was almost unbearable. Her vision blurred, her ears rang, and her stomach churned in response to the pain. She shook her head, trying to clear her vision, as she hurried along the sidewalk, only to bump into what felt like a steel pylon wearing a wool coat.

“I’m sorry, I— _oh_ ,” Lena gasped, looking up into brilliant blue eyes as she strong arms wrapped around her swaying form. “Please, I don’t… I can pay you, whatever you want, just please don’t… Oh god.”

Her vision spun, blurring the woman in front of her until it was like there were two blondes in her mind’s eye. She shut her eyes tight, willing the world to right itself, for her to wake up and this all be a dream. Instead her legs collapsed beneath her, leaving strong arms the only thing holding her up.

“I’ve got you, Lena,” the Kryptonian said softly. “I’ve got you, _i zhao_.”

Lena lost consciousness to the soft murmurings of Kryptonese in her ear.

——

Lena awoke slowly, memories swirling through her head as consciousness returned. For a brief moment, she let herself hope that it might’ve all been a dream, and then she opened her eyes and reality flooded her senses.

She was in what appeared to be a generic bedroom suite. The room was large enough to hold a large bed, a simple desk, and a dresser. There was an open door that led to what looked like a bathroom, and two closed doors that led to who knows what. It looked something like a nice, modern hotel room, except there were no windows and the walls were made out of metal.

_I’m on a space ship._

Lena was just processing that bit of information when she realized something else— she was completely naked beneath the sheets. All sorts of horrifying possibilities flashed through her mind as she sat up in bed, holding the satiny-soft sheets to her chest and taking stock of her body. She wasn’t sore anywhere— in fact, physically she felt better than she had in months— so perhaps rape wasn’t a concern. Yet. She needed to find clothes and a weapon. She might not be able to overpower a Kryptonian, but no way in hell was she going down without a fight.

Suddenly one of the closed doors slid open with a hiss. Lena tightened her grip on the sheet, as if it would somehow shield her, but what came through the door was not what she expected. Instead of a Kryptonian, or even a human, a robot floated through the doorway. It was humanoid in shape, though it had no legs, with mechanical arms and wide head with what appeared to be a glowing gold energy core where a face would be.

“Can I be of any assistance, Miss Luthor?” the robot asked with a mechanical voice.

Lena’s eyes widened at the sound. “What… What are you?”

“I am Kelex, a Kryptonian service robot,” the robot replied.

“Where am I?” Lena asked.

“You are on a Kryptonian interstellar freight ship,” the robot told her. “You are in the private quarters of Lady Kara of the House of El.”

“Right,” Lena breathed, looking around once again. She assumed that was the name of the blonde Kryptonian she remembered from Earth. “Um… Where is she? Lady Kara?”

“Lady Kara is attending to duties on the ship’s flight deck,” Kelex replied. “I was instructed to watch over you and provide any assistance should you awaken. Would you like to bathe?”

“I— What?” Lena stammered, confused by the sudden change of subject.

“Would you like to bathe? You have been unconscious for thirty-eight hours and nineteen minutes. In my experience, humans find it refreshing to tend to their personal hygiene after that length of time. While you bathe I can find clothes for you, if you would like,” Kelex volunteered.

“That… That would be great,” Lena agreed. At least she could get clothes before she had to deal with the aliens.

“This way, Miss Luthor,” Kelex said, gesturing to the open door.

Lena looked down at herself, uncertain about her nakedness, but then resolved that this was an alien so modesty was probably moot. She followed it into the other room, which was a sleek but small bathroom. A transparent glass-like panel separated the shower from the rest of the room. There was a large spray head but no visible controls.

“Calibrate water pressure and temperature to human comfort,” Kelex said before Lena could ask. Water immediately began flowing from the shower head. “Cleanser for your hair and body can be found stored below the shower head. I will now go to retrieve a towel and clothes for you to use afterward, if that is all, Miss Luthor.”

“Yes, that’s all,” Lena replied. “Erm… Thank you, Kelex.”

“You are welcome, Miss Luthor,” the robot replied, and Lena actually thought the mechanical voice sounded pleased with her gratitude.

Lena stepped into the spray, letting the warm water wash away the feeling of grunge off her skin. She checked her body over as she washed, but found no signs of injury. In a small alcove beneath the shower head she found full bottles of her usual shampoo and conditioner. Lena refused to dwell on how the Kryptonians knew her favorite brands and scents. She also found a bottle with Kryptonian symbols on the side, which she assumed to be body wash, but the honey-like substance inside didn’t lather as she spread it across the skin, rather it tingled slightly, like mint toothpaste, but once washed away her skin felt smooth and fresh.

Once she was finished washing herself, Kelex returned with a towel and turned off the water. It also instructed her on how to rinse her mouth with a liquid that would clean her teeth and mouth in lieu of brushing her teeth. The towel not only dried her skin, but with a gentle rub through it wicked most of the moisture from her hair, leaving it in soft waves around her shoulders. Spread out on the bed she found simple underwear, a pair of jeans, and an unearthly soft cream-colored sweater. The clothes all fit perfectly, even the bra and panties, and Lena didn’t want to think about why that might be.

“Miss Luthor,” Kelex said, its mechanical voice pulling Lena from her thoughts. “If you are finished dressing, Lady Kara has finished her duties and is waiting in the next room. She has brought a meal to share with you.”

Lena swallowed hard. She glanced around the room, looking for anything that she might use as a weapon, but her perfunctory search came up empty. She steeled herself, smoothing down the front of the sweater, and followed Kelex toward the closed door which slid open at her approach.

The next room was also simple and as generic as the bedroom. One wall curved slightly, and a large sofa that also curved fit into that space. Across from that was a round meal table surrounded by four chairs. And seated in one of the chairs was a familiar Kryptonian.

Her hair was still as brilliant gold as Lena remembered, but instead of being swept back, it now fell in loose curls that framed her face. Instead of human clothes, the Kryptonian wore a tight-fitting navy bodysuit with red and gold trim, with an S-shaped sigil sewn over her left shoulder. The glasses she had worn were also missing, and Lena found piercing blue eyes eyeing her warily, as one might watch an animal that could bolt or bite at any moment.

“Hello, Lena,” she said, her voice soft. “How are you feeling?”

“I— What?” Lena stuttered. She wasn’t sure what she expected from the Kryptonian, but it wasn’t soft concern.

“Are you feeling well? Physically?” the blonde asked, and her brow crinkled as she looked Lena up and down.

“Yes, I suppose, I—“ Lena swallowed hard and straightened her back, assuming the authoritative stance she wore in the boardroom, or when facing her unscrupulous family members. “I demand to be released and returned to Earth at once. Legal protocol was not followed in the process of my Collection. I need to contact my lawyers at Shapert and Grant, they will negotiate my release.”

The Kryptonian’s face fell. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. While you are correct that your Collection was not standard protocol, it was done with the authorization of the United States Collection Bureau and the Secretary of the Collection, making it perfectly legal. Also, it is illegal for any human who has undergone Kryptonian genetic modification to return to Earth.”

Lena’s eyes widened in shock. “Genetic modification? What have you done to me?”

“Females who are gathered during the Collection must undergo genetic modification in order to reproduce with their chosen Kryptonian mates,” she explained. “It’s a completely harmless procedure, it simply changes your reproductive cycle—“

“I don’t care if you think it’s harmless!” Lena exclaimed. “You’ve taken me from my planet and performed irreversible medical procedures without my consent! How dare you! Who are you to—“

“My name is Kara of the House of El,” the woman interjected, as if that would help.

Lena stepped forward, fury overpowering her common sense, and dug her finger angrily into the Kryptonian’s chest. “And who are you, Kara of the House of El, that you have the right to make decisions like that for me?”

Kara stood up straighter at that, grabbing Lena firmly but gently by the wrist. Lena tried to jerk her hand back, but her hold just tightened, reminding Lena that the Kryptonian was controlling strength that could easily crush the bones of her wrist in her grasp. A shiver of fear raced down her spine as she looked up at sapphire eyes.

“I am Lady Kara of the Royal House of El, daughter of Zor El and Alura Ze, granddaughter of the late King Seyg El, cousin to the current King Kal El,” Kara said, her voice fierce and proud. “And I am to be your mate.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some questions are answered

Lena stared at the plate in front of her, unwilling to raise her head to look at the Kryptonian in the seat beside her. Kara’s ire had only lasted a moment after her outburst, and she had transformed from the prideful, fearsome alien to a stuttering, bumbling woman. She was downright gentle as she led Lena to a chair and presented a metal tray of food to her, rambling off an explanation of each dish and its ingredients. Lena only half listened, still trying to formulate a plan in her head.

“Eat, please,” Kara said finally, her voice soft and beseeching again. “You need your strength.”

“I’m not hungry,” Lena insisted, though she picked up her fork and began prodding at the main dish— some kind of braised meat with a thick sauce. Lena’s stomach growled loudly, contradicting her words, but she honestly thought that if she tried to eat anything, her food would make an unfortunate reappearance shortly afterward.

“Lena, a hunger strike will not cause us to send you home,” Kara said sternly. “You wouldn’t be the first human to try it.”

That got Lena’s attention. She raised her head and glared at the Kryptonian. “And what will you do if I refuse to eat? Force feed me?”

Kara sighed. “It is our duty to care for our mates, even if they will not care for themselves. So yes, I would take you to the medical wing and have nutrition forced into your system. But I would rather not have to do that. I don’t want to force you to do anything.”

Lena snorted. “Forgive me if I don’t believe that, your track record speaks for itself. So far you’ve forced me to leave my home planet, you’re keeping me on a spaceship against my will, you plan to take me to your planet against my will, and you intend to rape me until I bear your children—“

A deep rumble came from Kara’s chest and she slammed her fists into the table, making the utensils shake against their plates, before rising to tower over Lena.

“You dare—“

“Yes, I dare!” Lena exclaimed, standing as well. Kara still had several inches of height on her, but she glared up at her anyway. Perhaps it wasn’t wise, provoking a being that was clearly much stronger than her, but Lena’s anger was beyond reason. “I’ve said nothing but the truth!”

“You know nothing!” Kara growled— she actually growled. “You know nothing of us, or of how we treat our mates. Omegas are treasured, they are respected—“

“Perhaps the Kryptonian definition of respect is different than the one on Earth,” Lena interjected. “I certainly wouldn’t kidnap someone I respected, nor perform medical procedures on them without their consent. I wouldn’t take them from the only home they’ve ever known and forbid them from returning.”

“That part was not our decision,” Kara insisted. “It was the governments of Earth that decided to send women to us with or without their consent, who decided to forbid women who mated Kryptonians from returning to Earth.”

That gave Lena pause. “You— No, it can’t be. Why would they?”

Kara took a deep breath, calming herself. “When we first discovered that Kryptonians and humans could interbreed, Kryptonians proposed a sort of exchange program— Kryptonians could visit Earth, and humans could visit Krypton, and those who met someone they were compatible with and wished to mate could undergo the genetic modification process and remain wherever they wished. But the humans in power were afraid that Kryptonians would eventually overtake humans— either by force or by sheer numbers, although the latter would take many generations to occur. So they banned Kryptonians from Earth, except under very limited circumstances, and proposed the Collection system instead. We were desperate, and so we agreed.”

“If Krypton has such powerful weapons, why not insist the humans do it your way?” Lena asked.

“War with another planet is what got us into this mess in the first place,” Kara said simply. “We do not wish to have another. We hoped to have peace with Earth, and that eventually they would come to see things our way.”

Kara stepped away from the table, toward the curved sofa, and turned her back to Lena. “I know this is… difficult. I wish things were different, but I cannot change the system your world has in place.”

Kara pressed her palm against the wall above the sofa and suddenly the surface changed. Instead of solid gray, it looked like a large window, and outside…

Lena had seen photos of Earth from space, but it was nothing like seeing the real thing. They were on the nighttime side of the planet, and golden lights illuminated the blackness while sunlight streamed around from the other side of the globe. It was hauntingly beautiful, and it filled Lena with a sense of awe and bitterness.

“Try to accept this,” Kara said quietly. “You have no choice.”

“Fuck that,” Lena murmured.

Before she could really think through her decision, she grabbed the metal tray from the table in front of her and hurled it, food and all, at the back of the alien’s head. The metal struck with a crash, and food splattered all over the back of her uniform and stuck in her long blonde hair. A low growl sounded, and Kara turned toward her, but Lena grabbed her glass of water and threw that as well, striking the alien in the chest and splashing water into her face and all down her front. Kara sputtered and wiped her eyes, giving Lena a chance to run toward the door, except there was no knob.

“Oh, fuck,” Lena murmured. _How do you open the damn thing?_ “Open!”

The door slid back into the wall, revealing a long hallway. Lena glanced around, but there was no one in either direction. She wondered which way she should go, which direction would take her to some way off the ship.

“Lena!” Kara growled from behind her, and that made up her mind.

Lena took off to the left at a run, heart pounding in her chest. She had no doubt Kara could catch up with her— if their enhanced strength wasn’t a myth, it was likely that their superhuman speed was also true. She came to another corner and turned, then another, twisting her way through the ship through winding corridors lined with endless doors that led to goodness knows what. Finally she emerged from the hallway into what looked like a large den, with chairs and sofas spread around the room.

A shout echoed from the hallway behind Lena and she scrambled through the room toward another hallway, but once there she could hear more voices coming her way. She looked around the room, desperate for any place to hide. A large desk was positioned in the corner, and Lena ducked behind and beneath it, huddled amongst the chair legs. If she just stayed quiet and they didn’t notice her, she could make another run for it once the room was empty.

The voices grew louder, and finally Lena saw legs from beneath the desk. She stayed as still as possible as two sets of feet crossed the room. The two strangers spoke in a language Lena didn’t understand, but she assumed it was Kryptonese. Lena wondered if Kryptonians had superhuman hearing as well, if they could hear her heartbeat. She held her breath in an attempt to make even less noise, just in case.

“Lena?”

A pair of legs stopped right beside Lena’s hiding place. She squeezed her arms around her bent knees. _No, no, just keep walking._

The legs bent, and the woman crouched down beside the desk. She peered through the chair legs with soft hazel-green eyes until she caught Lena’s gaze.

“Hi, Lena,” she said softly. “Can I join you?”

“Lucy!” a masculine voice admonished from the opposite side of the desk.

“It’s okay, James,” the woman named Lucy replied to the standing figure before looking back at Lena. “I’m not going to hurt you. Can I join you under there?”

“You’re not going to force me to go back to Kara?” Lena asked instead of replying.

“I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” Lucy assured her. “I know what that’s like.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “You’re human.”

Lucy nodded. Lena pushed a chair out of the way and Lucy crawled under the desk to sit just a few inches away. Another pair of legs took her place at the opening and Lena startled.

“It’s okay, that’s my mate, James,” Lucy reassured her. “He’s just here to make sure we’re safe, that’s all.”

Lena nodded into her knees. “Please, I just want to go back to Earth. I have a job there, important things to do. I can’t just leave. I don’t want to be here. I can pay you, whatever you want, I just need a way back.”

Lucy shook her head. “There is no way back, Lena. Even if you managed to get off this ship, the human government would send you back.”

Lena looked away from Lucy and blinked the moisture away from her eyes. She wouldn’t cry over this. She was a Luthor. She was stronger than that.

“Listen,maybe I can help you in another way,” Lucy told her. “I can’t replace what’s been taken away from you, but I can help you adjust.”

“Adjust?” Lena spat. “Fuck adjusting. I don’t want to be here and I’ll be damned if I’m going to just be complacent and accept my lot. I may not be able to go back but I’m not going to become some broodmare for an alien.”

Lucy’s expression hardened. “Is that really what you think we all are? Because I’m here to tell you, that’s not the case. I love my mate. I have a good life on Argo. I help people just like I would have on Earth. And yes, I want to have children with my mate, but he respects me and loves me for who I am as a person, not just a walking womb. None of the Kryptonians treat their mates the way you’re describing, and if you’d give them a chance, you would see that.”

“I don’t want to give them a chance,” Lena huffed.

Lucy studied her for a moment. “That’s your decision. The facts are, you’re here, and you’re not going back to Earth. You can either make it difficult for yourself, or you can at least have an open mind and learn more about your new home, like it or not. The latter will be a much more rewarding option, I can assure you of that.”

Lucy scooted out from under the desk, then turned back and offered Lena her hand. Lena stared for a long moment, then took the hand with a sigh and followed Lucy out from beneath the desk. The human woman smiled at her.

“Lena, this is my mate, James of House Olsen,” Lucy said, gesturing to the Kryptonian man who stood a few steps away. He was tall, broad shouldered, with dark skin and piercing brown eyes. He wore a navy uniform much like Kara’s, but a different symbol was embroidered over his shoulder.

“Hello,” Lena said hesitantly, and James nodded in reply but he didn’t speak, just looked at her with cold eyes. Lena looked back at Lucy. “I’m… tired.”

“Not surprising,” Lucy nodded. “You’ve had a rough time of it. We can escort you back to Kara’s quarters, if you would like?”

“Couldn’t I have my own quarters?” Lena asked.

Lucy frowned. “You’re an unbonded Omega now, Lena. You need an Alpha’s protection. Kara is strong and she has a high status. I know you don’t trust her yet, but I know her well. She’s an honorable woman. She won’t hurt you.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Lena said, biting her lip. “I threw food at her.”

Beside them James chuckled, surprising Lena. Lucy just grinned.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she assured Lena. “Kara is proud, but she wouldn’t hurt an Omega.”

Lena wasn’t so sure about that, but she didn’t see another option at the moment. She walked beside Lucy and they followed James through the winding halls— the crew quarters, Lucy explained— back to the room she was to share with the Kryptonian.

“Here we are,” Lucy said. “I’d like to talk to you more, Lena, if you would like that. Just tell Kelex if you’d like to hang out sometime, and it will get the message to me.”

“Thank you,” Lena replied. “I think I’d like that.”

“Open,” James said, and the door in front of them slid open. Lena glanced inside and caught a glimpse of blonde hair on the sofa. She gave one last look at James and Lucy before stepping through. The door shut behind her before she could tell them goodbye.

Lena took a deep breath as she looked at the Kryptonian on the sofa. She had a thin tablet in her hands, and had yet to look up from it at Lena. She had changed from her uniform into what looked like a white t-shirt and loose gray pants, and her hair was darker, still damp from being washed. Lena approached slowly, but Kara still didn’t look up, not even when Lena cleared her throat.

“I, um…” Lena began, thrown off by the lack of eye contact. “I’m sorry I threw my food at you. And my water. I’m _not_ sorry I ran, though. I think that’s perfectly reasonable, given the circumstances. But I… I won’t do it again.”

A shudder passed through the Kryptonian’s shoulders and before Lena could blink she had dropped the tablet onto the sofa and raced to Lena’s side. She wrapped Lena in her arms and hugged her fiercely, burying her nose in Lena’s dark hair and inhaling deeply.

“Promise me,” Kara said, her voice low. “Promise me you won’t run again.”

“I— I promise,” Lena stammered.

“It is my duty to protect you,” Kara explained. “Not knowing where you were, not being able to protect you if any other Alpha found you… Gods, I have never known panic like that. When James messaged me that he and Lucy found you, I was so relieved.”

Lena swallowed hard. “I— I’m sorry I worried you.”

Suddenly Kara pulled back and released Lena from her embrace. Lena found she missed the warmth, but she beat that thought back into the recesses of her brain.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have touched you without your consent!” Kara exclaimed. “I didn’t mean… I was just so relieved. From now on I promise not to touch you without your consent.”

Lena’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

Kara nodded. “Yes, of course. I… I realize how much I’ve taken from you already, Lena, and I regret causing you pain. I can’t change any of that now but, going forward, I want to try to make things better.”

“Thank you,” Lena replied softly. “That… That means a lot.”

Suddenly Lena yawned, unable to stop herself. Kara looked at her with unabashed affection.

“You must be exhausted,” the Kryptonian said. “I took the liberty of laying out some sleep clothes for you. I hope that’s alright.”

“That’s fine,” Lena replied. _At least I’m not expected to sleep naked._ She followed Kara to the bedroom where she found clothes similar to what the Kryptonian was wearing— except Lena’s pants were navy blue— spread out on the bedspread. Lena retreated to the bathroom to pee and change clothes.

When she emerged, Kara was already in the bed, covers pulled up to her waist. Lena froze mid-stride.

“Where, um… Oh,” Lena said, and she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks in spite of herself. Of course. These were Kara’s quarters, after all, and Kara’s bed. Where else would the Kryptonian sleep.

“I can sleep on the couch, if you’d prefer,” Kara said quickly, throwing back the covers.

“No, that’s… You shouldn’t have to do that,” Lena insisted. “You already promised, right? And it’s a big bed.”

Kara practically beamed. “Yes, I promised. You can trust me.”

Perhaps it was exhaustion, or shock from the day’s events, but Lena found herself crawling beneath the covers beside the Kryptonian. They each stuck to the edge of the bed, leaving almost two feet of space between them. Kara turned off the lights and shuffled a bit to get comfortable, but true to her word, she stayed on her half of the bed and didn’t touch Lena. Lena laid there, staring at the ceiling, until the faint sound of snoring drifted to her ears and lulled her into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena forms a plan and learns more about Kara and Kryptonians.

Kryptonians rose with the sunrise, and so the lights on the ship were programmed to mimic the soft reddish-gold hue of early morning. As the light increased, Kara stirred, rolling over and burying her head into her pillow with a groan.

Lena would’ve found it endearing under different circumstances.

She had been awake for several hours already. Her body had grown used to long days and sleepless nights, and though she often loathed rising early, now it gave her time to think. And a Luthor with time to think was a dangerous thing.

Running away had been foolish, but Lena blamed adrenaline and pure instinct. She wasn’t going to get off this spaceship and returned to Earth by such basic methods. A hunger strike was out of the question as well, based on what Kara had said the night before, and Lena figured she would need her strength for whatever escape plan she devised.

She needed more data. She needed to learn more about the inner workings of the Kryptonian ship, to learn how they transported the humans from the Collection centers on Earth to the ships above— nobody had ever seen any vehicles travel between the Kryptonian vessels and the Earth’s surface. She needed a way to contact people on Earth who could ensure that she wouldn’t be immediately returned to the Kryptonians should she manage to escape, or who would fight to get her returned to Earth legally— she wasn’t about to accept what Kara told her about her Collection being legal as the truth, and even if it was legal, her brother had taught Lena that there were always loopholes in the laws.

The best way to get what she needed, Lena surmised, wasn’t through haughty demands, nor through stubborn refusals: it was to make them trust her. If she could make her captors trust her, Lena was certain she could twist them into providing her with the things she needed to escape.

So she would be submissive and acquiescent. She would make them believe that she was trying to accept this, that she was just trying to learn about this new alien culture that she was to be a part of. She could play that part. At least until she had a way out.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

The soft, sleepy voice pulled Lena out of her thoughts. She turned toward Kara hesitantly, schooling her features into passivity.

“Good morning,” she said softly.

Kara smiled broadly. “Good morning to you. How are you feeling?”

Lena frowned, remembering that Kara had asked her the same question when she awakened the day before. “I feel fine. Why do you keep asking that?”

“Oh, well, I just… You’ve been through an ordeal, and underwent the genetic modification process while you were unconscious,” Kara explained. “I just wanted to make sure you’re not feeling any side effects. Nausea, headache, dizziness… Anything like that?”

Lena shook her head. “No, I feel fine. Better than I have in months, actually.”

Kara exhaled a breath Lena hadn’t realized she was holding. “Good, that’s… That’s good.”

The air between them, over the wide expanse of bed that separated them, felt heavy and awkward. Lena shifted beneath the covers, unsure of what to say. The awkwardness continued as they danced around each other in preparation for the day, Kara dressing in the closet while Lena brushed her hair and cleaned her teeth. Lena found her clothes from the night before folded neatly beside the bed, and began to take them to the bathroom to change when Kara emerged.

“You have more clothes, you know, if you’d like to pick out something else,” Kara told her. “Would you like to see?”

She followed Kara into the closet, where she directed her to multiple racks and shelves of clothes that were all in Lena’s size.

“I didn’t know what you might like,” Kara said sheepishly as Lena thumbed through the selection.

“It’s fine, Kara,” Lena assured her, though inside her stomach was in knots. “Thank you.”

Kara beamed at her words. “Well, you can wear whatever you like. I’ll go prepare breakfast while you change.”

She left Lena alone in the closet, and Lena finally released the shudder that she was holding back. Her captor had obviously prepared for her arrival, looking at the wide selection of clothes. That thought sent warning bells through Lena’s head, and she wondered just how long her abduction had been planned. She shook the thoughts from her mind— she couldn’t focus on that yet— and shuffled through the racks, choosing clothes that felt comfortable and easy to move in. Then she stiffened her spine and made her way to the other room.

_You can do this._

Kara was seated at the table, with several platters laid out in front of her. Kelex hovered nearby, saying something in Kryptonese that Lena couldn’t understand. She added learning the alien language to her mental to-do list.

“Miss Luthor, your breakfast,” Kelex said after a moment, gesturing to a seat and floating away.

“Thank you, Kelex,” she said, taking the seat catty corner to where Kara sat.

“I made sure to select some American Earth foods so you would be more comfortable,” Kelex continued. “But also the Kryptonian fruits and sausage are reportedly very popular among the crew’s mates.”

“I’ll be sure to try some,” Lena assured the robot, before spooning various foods onto her plate. The food from Earth appeared to be scrambled eggs and pancakes, which Lena was pleasantly surprised to find went well with the sweet green syrupy fruit and Kryptonian sausage. She was halfway finished with her plate when she glanced up and caught Kara watching her with a soft but intent expression. Lena swallowed hard and wiped her face. “What?”

“I’m just… happy to see you’re eating,” Kara said earnestly. “Do you like it?”

“It’s very good,” Lena replied honestly. “Normally my breakfast on Earth was just an energy bar and some coffee, so this is quite nice. Although I would kill for some coffee.”

“Kelex?” Kara said quickly.

“I shall fetch coffee for Miss Luthor, Lady Kara,” the robot replied before zooming out of the room.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Lena told Kara.

“I want you to have everything you want,” Kara replied earnestly.

 _Except for my freedom_ , Lena thought, but she swallowed the bitter thought. “Well, thank you.”

“I have duties to attend to today,” Kara told her. “But I do have something for you to pass the time.” She rose and picked up a tablet off the sofa and offered it to Lena. “This is programmed to unlock for your facial features and voice patterns. I’m sure you’ll figure out its interface easily. Use it to research our planet, and our people. I hope it will answer any of your questions, but you can also ask me, or Kelex. And Lucy can visit anytime, she liked helping women who have been Collected. Not to mention she’s family.”

“Wait, what?” Lena asked.

Kara flushed. “Oh, well, not by blood, obviously. Lucy’s sister is mated to my cousin.”

“Your cousin… the King of Krypton? That cousin?” Lena asked.

“Yes, that one,” Kara replied. “Lucy’s sister Lois is mated to Kal El. Her mate James is also my cousin Kal El’s best friend, and also my friend.”

Lena’s brow furrowed. “Is it normal for two women from the same family to be Collected?”

Kara shook her head. “Lois was part of the second Collection. Lucy volunteered for the sixth Collection after her father died, so she could be with her sister. Although sometimes I wonder why, they have a very— What’s the word?” Kara murmured something in Kryptonese. “Strained, yes. They have a very strained relationship.”

Lena nodded. “Your English is very good.”

Kara beamed at her praise. “All Kryptonians learned English and Mandarin, as they are the most widely-spoken languages on Earth. I also learned Japanese, French, and Russian, and I’ve been working on Irish.”

“Those… Those are the languages I speak,” Lena said, trying to hide the nervous twitter in her voice.

“I know,” Kara said proudly. “I wanted to speak with you in whatever language you felt most comfortable, though I thought it was probably English since that is your native language. But I’ve always enjoyed learning new languages.”

“How many languages do you speak total?” Lena asked curiously.

“Hmm… Well, if you count Irish— which I’m not sure you should, honestly, I’m still quite rough— I speak ten languages,” Kara replied proudly.

“That’s impressive,” Lena said honestly. “Can humans learn Kryptonese?”

Kara’s eyes widened. “You want to learn my language?”

“I mean, if that’s okay,” Lena backpedaled. She might’ve stuck her foot in her mouth. If it made Kara suspicious…

“No, that would be great!” Kara exclaimed happily. “Not many mates care to learn our language, that’s all. It’s quite difficult… and there may be some sounds that human vocal cords cannot physically make, to be honest. But if you’d like to learn it, I can have the software installed on the tablet, and I can help you in the evenings.”

Lena blinked slowly at Kara. Could it really be that easy? Her captor was like an overeager puppy, jumping at any chance to please Lena. The contrast made her head spin.

The door slid open again and Kelex entered, carrying a tray laden with a steaming pot of coffee, mugs, and many different kinds of creamers and sweeteners. It placed the tray beside Lena.

“Coffee, Miss Luthor,” it announced unnecessarily.

“Thank you, Kelex,” Lena replied. She took a mug and poured her coffee, mixing just a bit of vanilla creamer before taking a sip. “Mmm, that’s good.”

“May I try?” Kara asked.

Lena nodded and offered Kara her cup. “Here, take a sip of mine and tell me if you like it, or if you want it sweeter.”

Kara sniffed the brew hesitantly before taking a tentative sip. She held the hot liquid in her mouth for a moment before swallowing, then her face contorted into a dramatic gag.

“Ick!” the Kryptonian exclaimed. “It’s so bitter! How do you drink that?”

Lena chuckled. “It’s an acquired taste, I suppose. But you can add more creamer and sweetener, if you’d like.”

Kara grabbed the other mug from the tray and began mixing her own concoction. Lena wasn’t sure how much of it was actually coffee, as Kara stirred in vanilla, hazelnut, and mocha creamers and enough sugar to send a diabetic into a coma. She took a tentative sip before closing her eyes and humming in pleasure.

“Mmm, now that’s good,” she said. “Wanna try?”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Lena replied. “I did want to ask you something. Last night, Lucy said something about me being an unbonded Omega and needing an Alpha’s protection. What does that mean? Would the Alphas on the ship hurt me? Would they...”

A fierce growl erupted from Kara’s throat. “I would kill them if they touched you.”

Gone was the puppy from earlier, replaced by a vicious wolf that could and would tear any threat limb from limb. Kara’s eyes blazed and her muscles tensed. Lena slowly placed her mug on the table and scooted back in her chair, putting distance between herself and the angry Kryptonian.

Kara’s eyes followed her movements, then widened. She took a deep breath and relaxed, almost deflating in front of Lena’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she said softly. “It’s just… I’m very protective of you. The thought of someone hurting you or forcing you, it makes my blood boil.”

Kara shook her head and took another sip of her sugary coffee concoction. “To answer your question, under normal circumstances, no, none of the Alphas would hurt you. We have laws in place protecting Omegas, and to do so would be to forfeit their lives. But… What do you know about Kryptonian biology and mating cycles?”

Lena scooted back closer to the now-calm Kryptonian. “Not much. I know even female Alphas have a penis, if that’s what you mean.”

Kara’s cheeks flushed. “Well, yes, but… More than that. Every four months or so Alphas go through a mating cycle called rut. For about four days their hormones surge and instinct drives them to mate nearly constantly. It’s… It’s damn near unbearable, to be honest. We track our cycles and take suppressants in an attempt to control them, but sometimes being around an unbonded Omega can trigger an Alpha to go into an unscheduled rut. And if one of the Alphas on the ship did that because they were around you, it would be much harder for them to control their actions. While they might never harm you or take you against your will while in their right mind, their hormones might drive them over the edge. So it’s much safer for you to remain here, at least until we’re bonded.”

“And when will that happen?” Lena asked.

“Whenever you are ready,” Kara replied. “As I promised you last night, Lena, I won’t touch you without your consent. That includes mating and bonding with you. I won’t do it until you ask me to.”

 _It’ll be a cold day in hell before that happens_ , Lena thought, but all she said aloud was, “Thank you for that.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena learns more about Krypton’s history, more about Lucy, and more about Kara.

Kara left for her duties, whatever they were, after they had finished breakfast, leaving Lena alone save for the Kelex robot clearing away the remains of their breakfast. She took the tablet and made herself comfortable on the sofa, settling in for a few hours of learning about the Kryptonians.

“Kelex, can you make the wall change to the view of Earth the way Kara did?” she asked.

“Yes, Miss Luthor,” the robot responded, and the metallic surface instantly changed to show Earth, its vibrant blues and greens obscured only by a smattering of white clouds.

Lena used it as motivation.

The tablet Kara had given her immediately opened to a series of modules with information about Kryptonians and their planet, as well as the Collection process and all that it entailed. While she had no intention of remaining with the Kryptonians, Lena couldn’t suppress her natural curiosity— she wanted to know everything about these people. She skimmed over the titles before settling on just going through in the order they were listed.

She clicked on the first link, titled “History of Krypton” and settled back for a mixture of reading, images, videos, and recordings.

Four hours and a dozen modules later, Lena knew one thing for certain: The Kryptonians were a dying race, and it was their own damn fault.

——

Krypton had once been a thriving planet. They had overcome centuries of civil wars to become a harmonious civilization, ruled by one royal house: The House of El. But unlike many other planets which placed their greatest warriors at their helm, the ruling House of Krypton were some of the greatest scientific minds in the galaxy. The planet thrived in its pursuit of scientific knowledge, becoming great intergalactic explorers, and colonizing many planets over the centuries.

One such colony planet was Daxam. Centuries ago the colonists there had separated themselves from Kryptonian rule, creating their own royal dynasty from a warrior House. Krypton had negotiated peace with the smaller colony— as long as they continued offering resources to Krypton and kept peace, they could rule themselves however they saw fit.

Of course, such peace treaties rarely ever last. To fuel their space travel, Krypton required a particular ore they mined from deep inside their planet. Centuries of mining, however, had not only depleted their supply of ore but left the core of the planet unstable. But that didn’t stop their drive for progress. So Krypton demanded that the Daxamites begin mining ore from their own planet and send it to Krypton as tax for keeping the peace.

But Daxam had grown stronger, more populous, and where Krypton’s scientific research had been aimed at space exploration and discovery, Daxam’s science was used to develop weapons. So when Krypton’s king sent his demands, the Daxamite queen refused, and the war between the planets began.

For ten years the Daxamites and Kryptonians waged interplanetary war, nearly destroying each other in the process. Daxam had stronger weapons, and an army of slaves with no choice but to die for their planet, but Krypton had more allies. Ten years into the war, Daxam called for a truce, even sending a shipment of ore to Krypton as a peace offering.

It was a Trojan Horse. The ship carrying the ore was laced with a bio-weapon, a virus that spread rapidly and attacked the reproductive system of Kryptonian omegas. Within months every Kryptonian capable of carrying young was dead, their population depleted by half. The war ended abruptly, and Krypton was faced with what appeared to be unavoidable extinction.

The Kryptonians made one final, desperate choice for survival. They mined as much ore as they could from Krypton before abandoning the now-unstable planet and rebuilding their society on a smaller planet called Argo. They used the ore to fuel their exploration even deeper into space in a desperate search for a species they could interbreed with in order to save their species.

And they found Earth.

——

“Miss Luthor?”

Lena jumped at the sound of Kelex’s voice, only then realizing she had drifted off to sleep on the sofa, the tablet precariously balanced in the bend of her arm.

“Would you like me to fetch you lunch, Miss Luthor?” Kelex asked.

“Oh, um, yes, that would be great,” she said, reaching up to rub her eyes.

“Also, Lady Kara would like me to encourage you to speak with Lucy Lane,” the robot continued. “I could invite her to share lunch with you, if you would like.”

Lena bit her lip. Part of her was still a bit upset with how flippantly Lucy had brushed off her anger about being collected, but a bigger part of her knew Lucy was the only accessible human she could speak with to learn more about her situation.

“Yes, Kelex, invite her,” she decided.

Lena took a few minutes to freshen up, and by the time she was finished Kelex had returned with two plates of food.

“Miss Lane will arrive momentarily,” Kelex informed her.

“Thank you, Kelex,” Lena said, taking a seat at the dining table.

“My pleasure, Miss Luthor,” the robot said.

Lena had just finished inspecting the food Kelex had brought when another robotic voice announced that Lucy was outside the door.

“Um… let her in?” Lena said, and the doorway opened and Lucy stepped through carrying a small plate in her hands. Lena immediately put on her best fake Luthor-hostess smile. “Hello, Lucy.”

“Hi,” the other woman said. “I, um, brought brownies.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Lena said. “Here, have a seat. Kelex already brought food for us.”

“Actually, yeah, I did,” Lucy said, placing the plate on the table before taking her seat. “They’re apology brownies. I shouldn’t have snapped at you last night. To be honest, you hit a nerve with what you said, and I didn’t react well. I really am sorry for that. Your feelings— anger, fear, resentment— they’re all valid, and I shouldn’t have told you to just pack them away.”

Lena stared wide-eyed at the other woman. She certainly hadn’t expected an apology. “I— Thank you, for that. And for the brownies.”

Lucy gave her a soft smile. “Chocolate doesn’t fix everything, but in my experience it can’t hurt.”

Lena couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “I think you might be right.”

They turned to their meal then, and Lucy explained the Kryptonian components of their plate to Lena. Lunch was typically lighter than dinner, Lucy explained, and today’s meal consisted of a meat-filled pastry dish, steamed Kryptonian vegetables, and an assortment of sliced fruits.

“I see Kara left you a tablet,” Lucy commented. “Have you been studying the information modules?”

Lena nodded. “It’s… a lot to take in, to be honest.”

Lucy nodded sympathetically. “I know. I remember how overwhelming it was at first.”

“How long ago were you Collected?” Lena asked.

“Three years ago,” Lucy replied. “But I volunteered, so I know it's different.”

“Why on Earth would you volunteer?" Lena asked, then realized how forward that was. "I'm sorry if that's prying. You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to.”

Lucy shook her head. “No, I want you to know. Sharing my story has helped me deal with my own emotions. And you’re family now, you should know.”

Lucy reached for a brownie and scooted the plate toward Lena, waiting for her to take one for herself before beginning to speak.

“When I got out of college I immediately enlisted in the military to avoid being Collected,” Lucy began. “My father was a high ranking general, and with his push I ended up going through law school and becoming a military lawyer. I was trained in combat, of course, and had my fair share of experience, but for the most part I stayed out of the major war zones. But then there was this case where a soldier was accused of a local crime and I had to travel to the middle of a combat zone to represent him to the local governments. While I was there my vehicle hit a mine. I almost lost my leg in the explosion.”

“Jesus, Lucy, I’m… I’m so sorry,” Lena said honestly.

The other woman shook her head and looked up at her with stony eyes. “Thank you. It was… honestly, it was horrible. I got reassigned afterward and ended up working for the Collection Bureau. That's where I met James. He was one of the few Kryptonian Collection officials allowed on Earth. My sister had been Collected a few years before, and one day I worked up the courage to ask him if he knew Lois Lane. I almost couldn't believe it when he said she was mated to the king of the planet. I laughed at him, actually _laughed_ in his face because it was so crazy. But it was true, and he was also friends with the king so the next year when he came back he brought me a letter from Lois. And then we started talking and I fell for him.

“When he asked if I would ever consider coming to Krypton with him, I laughed again,” Lucy said with a baleful expression. “I didn't realize he had fallen for me too. I thought there was no way he could. I was broken, my leg was held together with screws and wires. I didn't even think I would pass the Collection requirements, but apparently my uterus and DNA were in good shape even if my leg wasn't.”

Lena passed the tray of brownies back to Lucy’s side of the table, and she picked up a second one with a grateful expression. She took a bite and a small smile spread across her face.

“Then your brother bombed the Collection facilities," Lucy said, surprising Lena. "Don't worry, we both know you weren't involved. James and I watched the trial, once we came to Krypton. But one of the facilities he bombed was one that we worked at. I was home at the time and when I saw news of the attack, I freaked out. James was injured, but he was alive and he recovered. We lost friends that day, but we were still together. When he asked me again if I would come to Krypton with him, I said yes.”

Lucy looked up from her brownie. “I know what they’re doing is wrong. Honestly, they know it too. I've seen both sides of the system and the Kryptonians are just as trapped by the Collection process as the women that are Collected. They would much rather be able to meet and fall in love with their mates on Earth, like James and I did but without the explosions. They hate that the Collection officials on Earth make humans leave everything they know and forbid them from returning, but our own human governments made that decision for them.”

“That’s what Kara told me,” Lena told her.

“There are records in the information modules that give you more info about those decisions and how they were made,” Lucy said. “It’s a dark time in their history, but the Kryptonians try to be open about it to the women that are Collected.”

Lena looked down at her lap. She hadn’t necessarily doubted Kara’s claims. In all honesty, it wasn’t exactly ludicrous that the governments on Earth wouldn’t want Kryptonians coming onto the planet. Humans had enough prejudices against refugees of their own species from other parts of the world.

“Hey,” Lucy said, pulling her attention back. “You’re still allowed to be mad about it, you know? It’s infuriating. But… I know I’m biased, because Kara’s family, and I love her like a sister. She’s not the one you should be angry with, you know? She and James were just kids when the war with Daxam happened, and now they’re just trying to survive, along with the rest of their species. And, frankly, I can’t speak for all the Kryptonians, but I can speak for James and Kara, and they deserve to be happy. I really hope you and Kara could make each other happy, eventually.”

Lena doesn’t know what to say in response to that. She’s known the Kryptonian woman less than twenty-four hours. The thought of making each other happy, especially now, was just too much for her to fathom.

“Sorry, was that too much?” Lucy asked. “I really need to work on my filter. James always says I don’t have much of one to begin with. And with family it’s just… even more complicated.”

“Family can be that way,” Lena admitted. “And… whatever I said last night…”

“It was the broodmare comment,” Lucy admitted. “I… I know what I said, that our purpose is more than reproducing, and it’s true. But I really do want kids with James. I want to give him a family. But we’ve been together for three years now, and most couples conceive within two. So I’m just concerned, you know, that it’s not happening.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea,” Lena said earnestly. She couldn’t sympathize, really. She had never been particularly interested in having children of her own. But even though the circumstances were strange to Lena, she hated it for the woman in front of her who so clearly wanted a child with the person she loved.

“It’ll happen when it happens,” Lucy said, clearly quoting a platitude she had been told multiple times. “Maybe on my next heat cycle.”

“Heat cycle?” Lena asked.

Lucy bit her lip. “Um… Keep studying the modules. You’ll get to it. Then we’ll talk. It’s probably better that way.”

“O-kay,” Lena replied, stretching the word skeptically.

——

Instead of using her afternoon studying more, Lena spent it trying to figure out the tablet’s operating system. The programming was a strange mix of Kryptonese and English, and Lena began to suspect that a human had a part in creating the system. Overall, she was convinced that if she could learn enough Kryptonese, she could figure it out and hack the system, and maybe that would allow her to contact someone on Earth.

By the time Kara returned to the suite, Lena had even more of a plan. She understood Lucy’s words, and maybe the woman was right. Maybe Kara was just as trapped in this system as the rest of them. But it was Kara who had chosen Lena, who had made the decision to take Lena away from her life. Lena couldn’t forget that.

She just couldn’t figure out why.

“Kara?”

The Kryptonian stopped talking mid-sentence. She had been telling Lena about her duties aboard the intergalactic transport vessel, but Lena hadn’t really been paying attention, too caught up in her own thoughts.

“Why did you take me?” Lena asked.

Kara’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“When we, um, met, on Earth,” Lena said curiously, “you said that on your planet, alphas take what they want, and you wanted me. Why do you want me?”

“I don’t understand,” Kara said, puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re kind and brilliant and beautiful and…”

“But you don’t know me,” Lena said. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Yes, I do, I—“ Kara’s face flushed. “This is gonna sound weird.”

“How weird?” Lena asked.

“Um… stalker-ish weird,” Kara admitted. “I, um, I’ve kind of been watching you. For a while.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“We can hack into surveillance devices on Earth,” Kara said. “ _Rao_ , I’m not explaining this well.”

“Maybe start from the beginning?” Lena suggested, although now she was a little scared of what the beginning might be.

“Well, the first time I saw you, I was watching the broadcast of your brother’s trials,” Kara said sheepishly.

“Oh,” Lena breathed. “You, um… You watched that.”

“My sister and I, we had a friend named Than Ze who was an administrator for the Collection,” Kara explained. “He was one of the Kryptonians who your brother killed.”

“I’m sorry,” Lena said with a sigh. She was so tired of apologizing for her brother’s actions.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Kara said softly. “Anyway, we both watched the broadcast of the trial. A lot of Kryptonians did. We wanted to see justice for the people Lex Luthor killed. I’ll never forget when they called you to the stand— That’s what it’s called, right?”

Lena nodded. Kara’s eyes had a glazed-over, faraway look, as if she wasn’t seeing Lena in front of her, but in her memory of that moment.

“I think I forgot how to breathe when I saw you,” Kara continued. “I remember thinking _Gosh, she’s pretty_ , and Alex elbowed me in the ribs because I accidentally said it out loud. But it was more than how pretty you looked. You had this look in your eyes, I don’t know how to describe it. You were so sad, but brave. I remember your brother stood up and threatened you for testifying against him, and you just had the saddest look on your face, but you were brave and told the truth anyway. And I remember thinking that you just looked so… alone. I just wished I could find you and hug you, and tell you that I knew what it was like to feel alone like that.”

Lena looked away from Kara. She didn’t want the other woman to see the dampness in her eyes. She didn’t understand how a woman watching from light-years away had seen her so clearly.

“After that I admit that I became a little obsessed with you,” Kara said, her tone embarrassed. “I read articles about you. And when I learned about all the things you were doing— researching cures for cancer and donating your money to disadvantaged schools— I just knew you had to be so amazing and brilliant and kind. I just… I just wanted to know everything about you, and to know _you_.”

Kara sighed and Lena caught her gaze again.

“And you’re right,” Kara admitted. “I don’t really know you, deep down. But from what little I do know, I really, really want to get to know you. I want to learn everything about you. I want to discuss science with you. I want to know what makes you smile so I can make you smile every day. And I want you to know that as long as I’m alive, I hope you never feel alone like that ever again.”

Lena just stared at the Kryptonian woman, examined every facet of her eager, open expression. And she examined her own heart, and cursed internally.

She was still angry, of that she was certain. But she was also certain of something else.

She could grow to like this amazing alien woman. Maybe even love her.

And that complicated things.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit hits the fan

Lena awoke in the middle of the night, which wasn’t particularly unusual, except the bed beside her was empty, and a pale beam of light filled the room from the bathroom. Suddenly a figure appeared in the doorway, shoulders hunched, and Lena had to squint to see Kara’s features in the dark as the light faded behind her.

“I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” Kara said softly as she climbed back into bed. Lena’s eyes slowly adjusted until she could make out the Kryptonian’s face. Her bangs were damp, either with sweat or because she had splashed her face in the bathroom, and her eyes looked puffy and swollen.

“Is everything alright?” Lena asked.

“It’s fine,” Kara said quickly, then bit her lip. “Actually, well… I suppose you should know. I have bad dreams sometimes. They wake me in the middle of the night, and sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep again. But I don’t want to worry you. Just go back to sleep.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” Lena said, turning onto her stomach and closing her eyes. She felt the bed shift beside her as Kara tried to get comfortable. A few minutes later the bed shifted again. Lena was almost relaxed when the bed shifted yet again and she heard a deep sigh. She opened one eye and saw Kara still awake beside her, staring intently at the ceiling. Lena rolled onto her side and placed an arm under her head. “Maybe if you tell me about it you’ll be able to fall asleep.”

Kara turned again, roughly shifting onto her side. “No, I don’t want to bother you.”

“Kara, all your tossing and turning is going to bother me,” Lena told her honestly. “You might as well tell me and see if it helps, instead of us both lying here unable to sleep.”

Kara sighed, her eyes staring intently at the edge of her pillowcase. Finally she began to speak.

“You finished the module about the virus the Daxamites used to kill our omegas, right?” she asked.

“Mmhmm,” Lena mumbled the affirmative.

“Well, I was twelve when the virus struck,” Kara said softly. “My father was still away fighting in the war when my mother fell ill. At first it was just weakness and fatigue, but soon the pain began as the virus began to eat away at her reproductive organs. Then the virus spread throughout her body.”

“That sounds horrible,” Lena said sympathetically.

Kara nodded. “My mother and I were very close. She was so strong. I had never seen her like that. To see what the virus reduced her to…” Kara took a deep breath. “Sometimes I see her in my dreams. Often it’s just memories— us talking, her singing, us playing together. Sometimes it’s as if she’s still alive and I’m with her now, as an adult. They’re not bad dreams, really, just bittersweet. And when I wake up, sometimes it’s just… overwhelming, how much I miss her. It’s been almost twenty years, but I still miss her.”

“I can understand that,” Lena said softly. “My mother— my biological mother— died when I was four. She had an inoperable form of brain cancer, according to my father. I don’t remember as much as you do, because I was so young, but sometimes…”

“What do you remember?” Kara asked curiously.

“I remember she was from Ireland, so she had an accent, and spoke to me in her language,” Lena said. “She called me _ceann beag, little one_ , and she would sing to me. Sometimes I remember her laugh. I remember she had dark red hair that she would let me play with sometimes. When she got sick, the treatments made her lose her hair. I remember it made me very sad.”

Kara looked at her with sad eyes, but there was no pity there, just a deep understanding that only someone who had experienced the same pain could have. She reached toward Lena, only to stop halfway. Her expression changed, shifting to something torn.

“Lena, may I… Could I hold your hand?” she asked shyly, opening her palm where it sat halfway across the bed.

Lena looked down at the hand in front of her, studying the fine lines that were barely visible in the darkened room. She didn’t reply out loud, just silently slipped her hand from beneath her cheek and placed it on top of Kara’s with a slight squeeze. Kara threaded their fingers together, and her thumb stroked along the ridge of Lena’s knuckles.

“You’re so soft,” Kara murmured into the pillow.

“You’re warm,” Lena commented. Even at a distance she could feel the heat radiating off Kara’s skin, and holding her hand was like holding candlelight.

Kara just hummed contentedly and closed her eyes. Lena stared at the alien woman’s face for a long moment before closing her own eyes. Her consciousness narrowed until all she could sense was the warmth of Kara’s hand in hers, and the soft, even sound of their breathing.

——

Lena was furious.

“Kelex, I need you to contact Kara and have her come back here right now!” she demanded, throwing the tablet onto the sofa with force. She was tempted to break the damn thing.

“I’m afraid Lady Kara is attending to her daily duties as Captain of this vessel,” Kelex said calmly.

“I don’t care what she’s doing,” Lena declared. “You tell her it’s an emergency. I need to see her right now.”

“If there’s an emergency I can assist—“

“You can’t assist anything, Kelex,” Lena told the robot. “If Kara isn’t in front of me in two minutes, I might explode.”

If the robot could be startled, that certainly did it. It was gone from the room in a flash, and the door slid shut behind it. Lena stared at the closed door, breathing hard, then glanced at the tablet on the sofa. She huffed furiously and looked down at her body.

Her body that was no longer hers.

Lena wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Kelex returned to the room with Kara in tow, but it was less than two minutes. The Kryptonian was breathing heavily, clearly having run back to the room, and she looked at Lena with wide eyes.

“Lena? What’s wrong? Kelex said you were going to explode, but I don’t understand, is there an illness that causes humans to— OOF!”

Lena’s hand stung from the impact of her palm against Kara’s cheek. The Kryptonian’s head stayed comically sideways as she reeled from Lena’s aggressive slap.

“What have you done to me?” Lena demanded.

Kara turned her head slowly and reached up to rub her jaw. “I don’t understand…”

“I read the modules about the genetic modification,” Lena said, her voice dangerously low. “I read about the changes you’ve made to my body, about _heat cycles_. No wonder Lucy didn’t want to tell me what those were yesterday.”

“Lena, it’s not so bad as you’re making it seem,” Kara said placatingly, but Lena wasn’t having it.

“Not so bad?” Lena asked. “In a few months my hormones are going to make me out of my mind horny so that I’ll beg you to fuck me. For _days_. Even if my rational mind doesn’t want it, my body and my hormones will demand that we mate. How is that not so bad?”

“It’s just—“ Kara began.

“Is that what you were planning this whole time?” Lena demanded. “You tell me that you’re going to wait until I ask you to touch me to mate with me, but you’re really just waiting for me to enter a heat cycle so I have no choice but to beg for your cock? Is that it?”

She didn’t give Kara a chance to respond. She wasn’t normally a violent person, but Kara had violated her in a way she could barely fathom, and it infuriated her more than anything she had ever experienced before. Lena balled her hands into fists and began punching Kara’s chest the way Lex had taught her when she was a teenager.

“Tell me, damn it!” she shouted, and she was embarrassed to find that tears of frustration were flowing down her cheeks. “Tell me! Say something! Do something! Fight back!”

Kara bent over double as Lena struck hard to her midriff. “I’m not going to fight you.”

“Why not?” Lena shouted, punching hard at Kara’s unprotected rib cage.

“I promised that I wouldn’t touch you without your permission,” Kara huffed, then groaned as Lena hit the same point twice in a row.

Lena stood back, breathing hard. Kara’s arms were hanging uselessly at her sides, not even moving to defend herself from Lena’s assault, much less to strike back. Her actions and her words bewildered Lena. The brunette backed away until her knees hit the edge of the sofa, and she sat down with a grunt. Her head was pounding for the first time since she had awoken on the Kryptonian ship, and she reached up to rub her temples.

“You confuse me, Kara,” Lena said through tears. “You say you won’t touch me, and yet you’ve already done so much against my will. I don’t know what to believe. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

Kara approached her slowly, then sat gingerly on the sofa several feet away.

“I have no intention of taking advantage of you during your heat,” she said softly, as if she didn’t want to spook her. “We have suppressants, medications that will lessen your symptoms so you can resist the physical urges to mate. I will get you those if you wish.”

Lena looked at the Kryptonian doubtfully. “And how long are you willing to give me those?”

“For as long as it takes,” Kara replied, her tone sure but also sounding puzzled.

“And you think what? That eventually I’ll give in?” Lena asked. “That eventually I’ll just settle and mate with you because I don’t have any other choice? Is that how this works? Is that what other women who’ve been Collected have done?”

“No, that’s… That’s not what…” Kara stood suddenly and began pacing in front of Lena. After a few minutes she stood still and faced Lena with sad eyes. “There’s never going to be anything I can say or do to change this, is there?”

Lena’s eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean?”

Kara took a deep breath. “I never wanted you to hate me.”

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a robotic tone.

“Officer Russ El and his mate have arrived,” the voice said.

Kara grumbled. “Crap. Not right now.”

“Officer Russ El and Andrea Rojas request entry,” the robotic voice said.

Lena looked up, her attention immediately shifting. “Andrea? She’s here?”

Kara sighed. “Yes. She’s mated to one of the ship’s officers, who’s also a distant cousin.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lena demanded.

“Russ and I aren’t on the best terms,” Kara said glumly.

“Officer Russ El and Andrea Rojas request entry,” the voice repeated.

“May I see her?” Lena asked. “Please? I haven’t seen her in two years.”

“Of course,” Kara said. “Let our guests in, Kelex.”

The door slid open to reveal a tall male Kryptonian. Kara had said they were distantly related, but they didn’t favor at all. He had a dark olive complexion, black hair, and dark eyes. But Lena barely spared him a glance. She was too busy trying to see the figure that entered behind him.

She met Andrea Rojas in boarding school. They were both sixteen and carrying the weight of family legacies on their shoulders. Lena had also carried a repressed crush on the other girl, though her friend was tragically straight as far as Lena knew. They had spent hours studying together, watching the Titanic over and over until they could quote it word for word, becoming so intertwined in each other’s lives that neither of them could imagine life without the other one. They stayed connected through college, and afterward, when Andrea began taking over her father’s business, convinced that if her number ever came up in the Collection that she could pay her way out of it.

Andrea had been wrong. And two years before, her number was drawn. Lena had cried with her friend as she made her arrangements, had screamed and struck at the Collection agents who came to take Andrea away when she refused to surrender herself at a Collection Center. It was the only criminal charge on Lena’s record— assaulting a government official.

Andrea hadn’t changed in two years. Her brown hair was still impeccably styled and straightened, though it appeared to be a little longer. Her blue eyes sought Lena’s, and a wide smile spread across her face.

“Lena!” she cried, darting around Russ-El to pull Lena into a hug.

 _Oh_. Well, maybe something had changed. Lena pulled away from the hug abruptly and looked down, her eyes falling on the small bump of Andrea’s belly beneath the dress she wore.

“You can go into the bedroom, if you’d like some privacy,” Kara said, interrupting Lena’s shock.

“Thank you,” Lena said, recognizing the privacy for the gift that it was. “Andrea, it’s this way. Andrea?”

But her old friend was just glaring across the room toward where Kara was standing, a depth of dislike wrinkling her features the likes of which Lena hadn’t seen since they were teenagers. Kara had mentioned that she and Andrea’s mate were not on good terms, and Lena wondered what it could possibly be that would make Andrea look at Kara that way.

Once the bedroom door slid shut behind them, Andrea pulled Lena into another tight hug.

“Oh, Lena, I’m so sorry,” she said. “Russ told me what happened to you. I can’t believe it… Well, I can believe it, from what he’s told me about Kara, but…”

“Andrea, slow down,” Lena said quickly. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

Andrea pulled back and her eyes widened. “You don’t know? Don’t you realize that Kara broke Collection protocol to take you?”

“Well, yes, I knew that,” Lena said. “Collection Bureau agents showed up at L-Corp and told me I wouldn’t be given a writ of surrender because with my assets I was considered a flight risk. Not that they were wrong, of course, but still, it wasn’t normal protocol.”

“It’s more than that,” Andrea said. “She’s already performed your genetic modification.”

“Yes,” Lena replied. “But isn’t that… Wait, isn’t that what happens to everyone?”

Andrea looked at her sadly. “Lena, you should sit down.”

“No, I will not,” Lena said angrily. “Tell me what you have to tell me.”

Andrea sighed and took a seat herself on the edge of Lena’s bed. Her hand traced over the edge of her apparent baby bump, and Lena couldn’t help but follow the movement with her eyes.

“With normal Collection protocol, the women are transported to the ship via trans-matter portals,” Andrea explained. “Once they arrive they’re kept in an area kind of like a dormitory until the ships reach Argo. Once they’re on Argo, they’re sent to Kandor, the city where all the unmated women live. It’s a very secure place. No unmated alphas are allowed inside except in special areas where they’re allowed to mingle with the unmated women, to meet potential mates. We’re encouraged to learn about Argo and the Kryptonians, while also figuring out what jobs we can do in Kryptonian society based on our previous experience on Earth, or we can learn a new trade. Only once the women are comfortably settled into their new lives can they start dating, or courting as the Kryptonians call it.”

Lena blinked, confused. She was beginning too understand what Andrea was saying, but some part of her brain didn’t want to believe it.

“I don’t… She wouldn’t,” Lena said, though her words were spoken without resolve. She squeezed her eyes shut as colorful spots began dancing in front of her vision and tightened her hands into fists until her short nails dug into her palms.

“The women who are Collected get to go on dates and get to know different Alphas,” Andrea said. “They get to choose their mate, if they want one at all. I know a few women who were part of the first Collection, and they refuse to court the Kryptonians on principle. The Kryptonians don’t force them, although they do hope the women will eventually come around, and they try to give them comfortable, satisfactory lives even though the governments on Earth have said they can’t be sent back.”

Lena wracked her brain, trying to wrap her brain around what Andrea was saying. The modules she had studied hadn’t included this information, at least not yet, and she had a sinking suspicion none of them would. Kara hadn’t told her any of this, and neither had Lucy.

“Collected women are supposed to get a choice in who they mate, if they mate at all,” Andrea continued. “Only once they’ve made their decision do they undergo genetic modification, because the DNA they use comes from the chosen Kryptonian alpha, to make conception easier. What Kara’s done… it’s illegal.”

Lena’s breath was coming harder now. She sat beside Andrea on the edge of the bed, unable to stand, but she couldn’t look at her friend.

“Russ is an officer in charge of overseeing the Collection process, to make sure things like this don’t happen,” Andrea said. “Kara used her authority as the King’s cousin to pressure the Collection Bureau into taking you early. She had her adoptive sister, the Chief Medical Officer on board, give you the genetic modification procedure using her DNA without your consent. Russ is reading her the official charges right now. Once we return to Argo, he’s going to turn the charges over to the King and the Council. They’ll decide if they’re going to press charges.”

“I can’t—“ The room began spinning around Lena. “I can’t see. I can’t—“

Suddenly the door slid open and Kara and Russ El came into view. Kara’s eyes widened as soon as she saw Lena and she hurried forward.

“Don’t touch her!” Andrea shouted.

“She’s sick!” Kara shouted. “Can’t you see she’s about to faint.”

“I’m n— Wh— Kara,” Lena said, her tongue thick and unable to find words.

“Don’t worry, _zhou_ , I’ve got you. Everything’s gonna be okay,” Kara assured her.

“How can you call her that?” Andrea demanded. “How can you possibly love her when you’ve taken away her choices?”

“I did it because I love her!” Kara exclaimed. “Now, get out of my way so I can take my omega to the medical bay before she passes out.”

It was too late, Lena knew. As soon as Kara’s hands touched her she could feel the blood rushing from her head in an all-too familiar sensation, and for once she welcomed the darkness as it rushed over her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara’s reasons why

Kara could pinpoint four moments in her life when everything was turned upside down.

The first was her mother’s death. The second was her father’s trial for war crimes during the war with the Daxamites.

The third was when she met Alex of House Danvers. They were both orphans of the war, two of many. Kara was two years younger than Alex, and small for her age, and she had an irrational fear of small places. When a group of older children in the orphanage locked Kara in a storage cupboard outside after playtime, Kara screamed for what felt like hours before anyone realized she was missing. Alex was the one who freed her, who held her while she sobbed. Alex was the one who sat with her at night and they talked about their parents and their childhoods and their dreams. Alex was the one who got in trouble for breaking the nose of one of Kara’s bullies the next day.

They were inseparable after that. They considered themselves sisters, connected by a bond far deeper than blood.

The fourth moment that changed Kara’s life was the moment she saw Lena Luthor. She remembered it clearly, sitting on the sofa in her sister’s home with Alex, James, and Lucy, watching the broadcast of Lex Luthor’s trial on Earth. James was recovered from his wounds, but some of the scarring would never completely heal. And their friend Than Ze had been an orphan like them. They watched in his memory, and the memory of the other Kryptonians and humans who had died, and for workers like James who had been injured. Kara’s righteous anger was mixed with fascination as she watched the human justice system at work.

“The prosecution calls Lena Luthor to the stand,” said the man on television, a _lawyer_ Lucy had explained.

“That’s Luthor’s sister,” Lucy said from her seat on the opposite side of James.

“Is she as mad as he is?” Alex asked. Kara wasn’t as convinced of Lex Luthor’s madness as her sister; while she agreed that he needed to be punished for the lives he took and the pain he caused, she could hardly blame him for trying to shut down a process that took women against their will.

“I don’t think so,” Lucy replied. “From what I remember, she’s a lot younger. She’s a scientist, like him, but she’s been researching cures for cancer and other diseases, things like that. She mostly stayed out of the spotlight, but from what little I recall, she seemed to be working toward good things.”

Kara’s eyes widened as the camera panned to the woman now sitting beside the judge. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and she wore a dark striped blouse that contrasted with her porcelain skin. She had high cheekbones and a sharp jaw, and full lips that pulled down into a frown as she took her seat. But it was her eyes that drew Kara’s attention the most. She had never seen eyes that color— a pale, slightly bluish-green that reminded her of the sea glass that collected on the shores near Argo City from the wreckage of Krypton that crashed into the ocean.

“Gosh, she’s pretty,” Kara breathed, and Alex elbowed her sharply in the ribs as James guffawed.

“Seriously? That’s all you can think about?” her sister asked.

“Well, she is,” Kara huffed indignantly.

Lucy giggled at their antics as James continued to laugh, but their attention was quickly drawn back to the broadcast as the lawyer began questioning Lena Luthor.

“Miss Luthor, can you tell us about your exit from LuthorCorp?”

Lena nodded. She explained that they had disagreed over Lex’s research into Kryptonite, the chemical he had made that would kill Kryptonians. “One disagreement over his obsession, and he shut me out. He threw me out of the company and himself into his crusade. He killed people.”

“Did Mr. Luthor ever ask you to assist him in his work against Kryptonians and the Collection Bureau?” the lawyer asked.

“Yes, he did, multiple times,” Lena replied. “He used to say we were _burdened with excellence_ , that it was just me and him against the world. And if I’m honest with myself, I believed him. I was blind enough to think that he wanted a partner, but he wanted a sycophant.”

“I would like to bring the court’s attention to all evidence items one-forty-three through two-sixty-eight,” the lawyer announced. “Miss Luthor, can you tell the court what these items are?”

“I’ve submitted our every correspondence into evidence, enough smoking guns for an army. And when he bombed the Collection Centers—“ Lena glanced up, and Kara knew she was looking across the room toward where her brother was sitting— “I was wearing a wire.”

Lucy gasped. “Oh wow.”

“What does that mean?” James asked from beside her.

“It means she was wearing a recording device,” Lucy replied. “She helped the authorities catch him and have evidence against him.”

“Hmph,” James grunted. “Maybe she is on the good side, then.”

On the broadcast screen, the courtroom erupted into noise, and the camera panned shakily.

“You ungrateful little fool,” Luthor shouted. “Do you know what you’ve done? Don’t you realize that you’re one of the reasons I did this?”

“Order! Mr. Luthor, calm yourself!” the judge ordered.

“This is a paradigm shift!” Luthor spat. “For the rest of human history there will only be Before the Aliens Arrived and After. I refuse to give up our autonomy to their wiles. And if the rest of you are too cowardly to fight this…”

A very large man in a tan uniform grabbed Mr. Luthor from behind, restraining him.

“You’ll regret this, Lena!” Luthor shouted as he was dragged from the room. “When they come for you and there’s no one there to defend you, and you’re reduced to nothing but an alien’s whore, you’ll regret this!”

The camera panned back to where Lena Luthor was still sitting frozen on the witness stand. Kara was a bit surprised to find that the woman didn’t look afraid. Instead those sea-glass eyes were filled with a deep sadness that felt like a punch to Kara’s soul.

She found herself wishing that she could see Lena Luthor smile.

In the days that followed, Kara tried to shake the thought of the human woman from her mind. But she found that in the quietest moments of the day, when she sat alone eating her meals or tucked into bed at night, her mind would flash images of dark hair and pale skin, and those eyes that fascinated her beyond measure. She thought perhaps if she learned more about the woman, her curiosity would be appeased.

So she went to visit her friend Winn.

Winslow Schott, Jr., was a human, one of only a dozen human males who now lived on Argo. He had arrived with the first influx of scientists and researchers almost fifteen years before, part of the failed effort to help Kryptonians find a way to bear young, and had stayed after meeting his wife, a woman named Lyra, who was a scientist from the Starhaven system. He was useless when it came to biology. Instead he specialized in computers and had originally kept the scientists’ computers and other equipment running. He then learned Kryptonese and moved to working on Kryptonian tech, from their AI programs to defensive programs. He and Kara had met while he worked aboard the freighter ship she was stationed on, and they had been fast friends ever since.

“I need a favor,” she had told him, and had explained her situation.

“So, you have a crush on Lena Luthor,” Winn said, turning to type into his computer.

“I have a what?” Kara asked.

“A crush,” Winn replied. “Um, it means you like her. You find her attractive.”

“Oh, well, then yes, I have a crush,” Kara admitted, blushing.

“You’re adorable,” Winn teased, and she smacked his shoulder. “Hey, if you break me I won’t be able to get you the info you want, so be gentle.”

Winn ran what he called a _Google Search_ on Lena Luthor and transferred the information to Kara’s data tablet. She was able to find pictures of Lena from news reports and something called _social media_ , and articles about her and the Luthor family. Apparently they were very rich and powerful on Earth, so they were in the news regularly. The more she learned about the human woman, the more fascinated she became, even though she knew nothing could come of it.

“The first time you show interest in a human female and it’s one who isn’t even on this planet,” Alex grumbled. “There are Collected women in Kandor who actually want a mate, Kara, why don’t you go try to meet one of them?”

Kara just scowled. “You know why, Alex. I’m never taking a mate, and that’s final.”

“So you’re just going to pine over this random woman for the rest of your life?” Alex asked.

“It’s not like I’m hurting anyone!” Kara argued. “I just… I don’t know, I care about her, even though I’ve never met her.”

“Kara, that’s kind of crazy,” her sister told her.

“Maybe,” Kara replied. “But… Just let me have this, Alex.”

Alex hadn’t argued with her anymore, though Kara could see the judgement and pity on her face. Kara just ignored her.

“You know, we could pull some strings if you’re really interested in her, little one,” her aunt, General Astra, had said one day over a meal. Astra was her mother’s sister, and Kara loved her dearly. They served together on the Kryptonian fleet, and often took their meals together when on duty.

“What do you mean?” Kara asked. She had been perusing her tablet during her spare time for any recent news stories about the Luthor woman.

“There are ways,” Astra said. “If you want a chance with her, we could have her taken as part of the next Collection. She would never have to know, and once she’s settled here you could have a chance to court her.”

“No!” Kara exclaimed in shock. “How can you even suggest such a thing?”

Astra shrugged. “It’s been done before.”

“If you know of such a thing you should report it,” Kara told her. “As for Lena, I hope she’s never taken in the Collection. She’s doing such amazing research on Earth, she’s really helping her people.”

“She could help us,” Astra speculated.

“No,” Kara said firmly. “That’s the end of this.”

Astra had never spoken of it again, thankfully, and Kara was careful to never mention Lena Luthor in her aunt’s presence again.

Months passed, and then a year. Kara used the search Winn had given her access to less and less. She still found herself thinking of the beautiful human sometimes. For nearly a month after each rut she was so ashamed of the dreams that had filled her mind during that time that she couldn’t even bring herself to type Lena’s name into the data tablet. But eventually her curiosity got the better of her, and she did a quick search to see if anything had happened.

_Lillian Luthor arrested, Lena Luthor named CEO of LuthorCorp_

_Lena Luthor collapses at trial of Lillian Luthor_

Kara’s eyes widened as she read the headlines. The last title drew her attention most urgently, so she touched the icon. It opened a news video from the week before. The video explained that Lena’s mother, Lillian Luthor, had been arrested for stealing money from her own company. Lena had been appointed head of the company, and had lost consciousness during a trial for Lillian. The report said there was no foul-play suspected, only that Miss Luthor fainted due to exhaustion.

That didn’t seem right to Kara, so she called her friends in a panic. That evening, Winn and Alex sat in her living room while she explained the situation.

“Kara, you need to calm down,” Alex told her. “This is a complete overreaction.”

“But she’s ill, Alex,” Kara argued.

“You don’t even know this woman,” Alex said.

“I don’t care!” Kara exclaimed. “I know enough, okay? I don’t care if it’s not rational, I’m still worried about her.”

“If you want, I can pull her medical files,” Winn interrupted.

“You can do that?” Kara exclaimed.

“No, he can’t,” Alex said, her voice thick with warning. “Those files are meant for Collection Agents only. Besides, that’s an invasion of privacy.

“But if she’s sick, shouldn’t we help her?” Kara argued.

“How exactly do you plan on helping her, Kara?” Alex demanded. “She’s on a different planet, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“I don’t know, but I—“

“No, this obsession of yours has gotten out of hand,” Alex said. “You need to let it go, Kara. I don’t know if it’s your rut cycle or what, but you need to get it under control. Go to Kandor and meet someone and forget about Lena Luthor, okay?”

Kara shrunk beneath Alex’s chastisement. Her sister sighed and put her arm around Kara’s shoulders.

“Look, I don’t understand what’s gotten into you, but I’m worried about you,” Alex told her. “And I know you. I don’t want you to do something stupid.”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Kara said. “I just… The first time I saw her, I felt a connection. She looks so lonely, Alex, the kind of alone that I know far too well.”

“It’s one thing to recognize a kindred spirit, Kara. It’s another thing entirely to invade their privacy.” Alex sighed and looked at her communicator. “I need to go. Jonn’s calling a meeting with all of the fleet’s medical officers.”

“Good luck,” Winn said as Alex stood to leave.

Alex fixed him with a pointed expression. “Don’t enable her. You know just as well as I do that this isn’t ethical.”

Winn raised his hands away from his keyboard innocently. Kara gave Alex a final hug, then as soon as she was out the door, turned back to Winn.

“So… you can pull her files?” Kara asked.

Winn hesitated. “Kara… You heard what Alex said. I know I said I can do it, but she’s right, it’s an invasion of privacy and…”

“Please, Winn. I need to know she’s okay. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I just need to know. It’s like… an ache in my bones, to make sure she’s alright.”

“I’ve never seen you like this before, Kar,” Winn said.

“Is it possible to love someone you’ve never met, Winn?” Kara asked.

Winn sighed. “I don’t know. I certainly didn’t know I could love someone the way I love Lyra until I met her. But my mom used to say that loving someone is more than just a feeling; it’s an action. Doing things for someone because you love them. And I guess, in that sense, you can do something for someone to show love even if you’ve never actually met them.”

Kara flopped herself down onto the sofa. “Is what I’m doing really that bad, Winn? I mean, be honest with me.”

“Well, I mean…” Winn trailed off. “It’s an invasion of privacy, yes. But… I know you don’t mean to do anything bad with the information. Right?”

“Of course not!” Kara said. “I just… I dunno… If she is ill, maybe I can get word to someone working in her Collection Bureau to make sure she’s getting the treatment she needs, you know?”

Winn nodded. He looked from Kara to the computer in front of him. “Don’t make me regret this, Kara.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Kara said.

So Winn pulled the files. And what Kara found was the worst news she could’ve found. Lena’s biological mother had died when Lena was a child from a rare form of inoperable brain cancer. It also happened to be a cancer that was hereditary. On Lena’s initial intake exam by the Collection Bureau, they performed a standard genetic panel, and the results of that panel showed that Lena carried the genes for the same cancer that killed her mother.

Kara had immediately freaked out more than she was already freaking out.

”Calm down, Kara,” Winn told her. “We don’t have any way of knowing if she actually has cancer. She could’ve collapsed from any number of things: exhaustion, dehydration, anything.”

“Is there any way we can find out if she has any other symptoms?” Kara asked.

“I… No,” Winn said, but something about his voice told Kara he wasn’t telling her the entire truth.

“Winn…” she pouted.

“I mean… I could hack into the LuthorCorp security feeds just to see if she’s had any other fainting spells or anything. But no, that’s totally wrong, that would definitely be an invasion of privacy. No, no, no.”

“But Winn, you said it yourself, it’s not like we’re doing anything bad with the information! We’re just trying to help her,” Kara argued.

“No, I already invaded this woman’s privacy by hacking into her medical records, dammit… No! Don’t do the face, not the face!” Kara intensified her pout. Winn sighed and frowned. “That’s not fair. You know I can’t say no to the pout.”

“That’s why I do it,” Kara said, draping her arms around Winn’s shoulders. “Now, please, help me out here.”

“I swear Kara, if this ends up biting us in the ass…”

“It’s not,” she assured him.

——

She had been wrong. Staring at the angry face of Russ El in her quarters, she knew she had been wrong. She just hoped the punishment would all be aimed at her, and not her friends.

“You’re being charged with subverting Collection protocol for personal gain, intimidating human agents, misleading Collection officials, and performing the genetic modification process on a human without their consent,” Russ said with authority. “Would you like to enter a plea now?”

“Yes,” Kara said evenly. “Guilty to all charges.”

Russ’s eyes widened in shock for a moment. Clearly he hadn’t expected that, but Kara couldn’t very well deny what she had done when Lena was standing in the next room with Russ’s mate.

“Are you really that arrogant?” Russ asked with a forced laugh.

“No,” Kara said sadly. “But I have faith that my King and the Council will hear my reasoning and have mercy on me. I carried the same hope that one day Lena might forgive me as well.”

“What reasoning could you possibly have for doing this?” Russ asked.

Kara sighed. “I found out that Lena was dying. On Earth, there is no cure for what she had, but our genetic modification process, combined with our nanite technology could cure her.”

“You still subverted the Collection process and performed the procedures without her consent,” Russ said.

“Yes, I did,” Kara said. “I’m not proud of what I did. I’m not arrogant. But to save her, I would do it again. If it means I spend my life in prison, then I would still do it again. I couldn’t let her die, not when I could do something to save her.”

Suddenly Kelex floated over to them, interrupting their conversation. “Lady Kara, my sensors indicate that Miss Luthor is in distress.”

“No!” Kara exclaimed, hurrying to the door to the bedroom. “Lena!”

The door slid open and Kara’s eyes landed on where Lena was sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face was unnaturally pale, one of her pupils was dilated slightly larger than the other, and she was gasping for breath. Kara rushed to her side.

“Don’t touch her!” Russ’s mate, Andrea, shouted.

“She’s sick!” Kara shouted in reply. “Can’t you see she’s about to faint?”

“I’m n— Wh— Kara,” Lena said, her speech slurred.

“Don’t worry, _zhao_ , I’ve got you,” Kara said softly, using the Kryptonian pet name for a romantic love.

“How can you possibly call her that?” Andrea demanded. Kara was getting frustrated with the other human, but she minded her tongue out of respect for Russ and the fact that she was one of Lena’s friends on Earth. “How can you possibly love her when you’ve taken away her choices?”

“I did it because I love her!” Kara exclaimed, reaching around her toward Lena. “Now, get out of my way so I can take my omega to the medical bay before she passes out.”

But it was too late. Just as Kara wrapped her arms around Lena’s torso, she went limp against her. A moment later her body began to shake in rapid seizures.

“What’s happening to her?” Andrea asked, eyes wide with fear.

“She’s having a seizure,” Kara explained, scooping Lena up and carrying her from the room. “Alex said they could still happen while the nanites shrink the tumors in her brain.”

“Tumors?” Andrea asked as she followed, and Russ’s expression was equally as curious.

“Lena has a hereditary form of brain cancer,” Kara replied. “Well, _had_. And yes, I crossed lines to find out if she had cancer. I made a deal with the Secretary of the Collection that if she didn’t have it, I would leave her on Earth and pay restitution for my actions. If she did have cancer, I would give her the option to come here for treatment. I never got the chance to ask for her permission though. She started seizing and stopped breathing in the diagnostic machine at the Collection Center. As soon as I had confirmation, I brought her through the portal and told Alex to begin treatment.”

“She still should’ve had a choice in the genetic modification,” Russ said.

“I agree,” Kara said sadly. “But the tumors were pressing on her spinal cord. She could’ve died before she ever regained consciousness. And it may have been wrong, but I just couldn’t let her die.”

Lena’s body went limp in Kara’s arms. Thankfully, her chest was still moving with shallow breaths. They entered the medical bay and Alex looked up from putting stitches in the head of a young and clumsy cadet. She raked her eyes over Kara and the human in her arms before looking at Russ El behind her.

“Oh, shit, Kara,” she said softly.

“Not dealing with that yet, Alex,” Kara said. “Help her, please. She passed out and had another seizure.”

“Put her on the bed,” Alex said, gesturing to the closest one.

Kara stood over Lena worriedly as Alex began examining her. She was barely aware of Russ and Andrea having a quiet but heated discussion across the room. Her attention was only drawn away from Lena when a heavy hand landed on her arm.

“These charges must be presented for the King and the Council,” Russ said softly. “I advise you to bring your extenuating circumstances as well, but they will rule on your punishment once we reach Argo. You will be allowed to continue with your duties on the ship, as there is no one on board who can be promoted into your position. However, once Lena Luthor is awake, we will give her quarters separate from yours. Any interaction you have with her must be supervised. You are not allowed to approach her without invitation. If she doesn’t wish to see you, we will not allow you near her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” Kara said softly. “And Russ?” Her cousin looked at her curiously. “If she doesn’t want anything to do with me, I know I have no right, but I ask you to keep her safe.”

“Of course,” Russ agreed.

A loud beep drew their attention to where Alex was holding a handheld scanner over Lena’s head.

“The nanites have almost finished shrinking the tumors,” Alex said. “She should regain consciousness naturally in a few hours.”

“Notify me when she does,” Russ said. “For now, Kara El, you may stay. When Miss Luthor wakes up, we will allow her to decide if you should stay or go.”

“Understood. Thank you,” Kara replied.

Once they left, Alex stepped away to finish with the clumsy cadet. Kara carefully tucked the rough med-bay blanket around Lena’s torso and smoothed her hair down around her face.

“Kara,” Alex said softly behind her.

“Not now, Alex,” Kara said. “Please, just… If these are the last hours I get to spend with her, let me spend them in peace.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena wakes up

Lena awoke to a pounding head and a cacophony of voices. She blinked once, but the light was blindingly bright and it cut through her head like a knife, so she kept her eyes closed. Instead she focused on trying to pick out the different voices.

“Kara, you need to tell her. I don’t understand why you didn’t tell already.”

_Lucy_. Her voice was smooth and calm, but chastising for some reason.

“I didn’t want her to feel some obligation because of what I did.” There was Kara. Lena thought, rationally, she should feel anger or fear toward the Kryptonian, but such emotions just felt like too much now, floating in this odd space of almost-consciousness.

“Are you sure that’s the only reason?” Lucy asked.

There was an odd scuffling sound. “I took so much from her, Luce. How could she possibly forgive me for that?”

“You’re taking another choice from her by not being honest, Kara,” Lucy said. “She should be able to decide if your reasons justify the means, and if she can forgive you. You don’t get to decide that for her as well.”

Lena shifted in the bed she was lying in. The covers were scratchy, and the bed itself was firmer than the one she had shared with Kara.

“Well, if you don’t tell her, I’m gonna tell her.”

Lena had never heard that voice before.

“ _Alex_!” Kara grumbled. Alex… Oh, right, Kara’s adoptive sister. And the ship’s medical officer, according to Andrea. Lena shifted again, and suddenly a warm hand rested on her arm.

“Lena?”

She jerked away from Kara’s touch. The anger was returning, slowly, along with her consciousness. She blinked up to see Kara’s face hovering over hers, blonde hair loose like a halo around her face.

“Go away,” Lena said with as much anger as she could muster.

Kara’s face fell and she backed away. “Lena…”

“Get away from me,” Lena hissed. “Just go, Kara.”

The blonde Kryptonian stared at her for a long moment before nodding, resignation coloring her features.

“I’ll be in my quarters, if you need me,” she said, and Lena wasn’t sure if she was talking to her or to Lucy and Alex. She disappeared through a doorway, and Lena relaxed back into the mattress.

Lucy stepped forward. “Lena—“

“You lied to me as well,” Lena said darkly.

“I didn’t realize Kara hadn’t told you the full story,” Lucy said, twisting her hands anxiously. “I don’t know why she didn’t tell you…”

“Tell me what?” Lena asked. “What could she possibly have to tell me that would change what she’s done?”

“You had cancer.”

Lena’s eyes widened as she stared at the auburn-haired Kryptonian in a black suit much like the one Kara wore everyday. Alex’s expression remained stoic as she adjusted the bright lamp suspended above Lena’s bed and rolled down the blanket that was covering Lena.

“I— what?” Lena asked.

“You had a hereditary form of brain cancer,” Alex said, her voice softer. “Do you remember when you received your genetic screening results from your initial screening with the Collection Bureau?”

“It was the same type of cancer that killed my mother,” Lena said. “They told me I was at increased risk, but they didn’t say I had it.”

“You didn’t then, but you developed it,” Alex explained. “Had you noticed being more fatigued recently? High blood pressure, migraines, blurred vision, dizziness, loss of consciousness, nausea?”

Lena nodded. “I thought it was exhaustion.”

“The exhaustion didn’t help,” Alex said. “My sister came to me weeks ago freaking out. She had read an article that you collapsed, and she was worried that you were sick.”

“So she brought me here,” Lena concluded.

Alex pursed her lips. “It was a bit more convoluted than that, but essentially, yes. You were seizing when she brought you in. She begged me to help you.”

“So you used the genetic modification procedure on me,” Lena said, closing her eyes.

“Our Kryptonian genes overwrite some of your existing genes in the process,” Alex said. “Ultimately it changed your DNA enough that the cancer-causing genes were inert. I also injected nanites into your system that were programmed to gradually shrink the existing tumors in your brain. That’s why you collapsed earlier today. But after a few weeks, the tumors should be gone and your brain returned to normal.”

Lena opened her eyes wide. “So I’ll be cured?”

“Yes,” Alex said.

“You have a cure for cancer?” Lena demanded. “Why wouldn’t you share it with Earth?”

“We have,” Alex said. “It was one of the first things Kryptonians gave to your governments when we asked for assistance solving our reproduction issues.”

“But that was fifteen years ago,” Lena said confusedly. “Why wouldn’t that be common practice by now?”

“I don’t know,” Alex said sadly.

“My guess is pharmaceutical companies,” Lucy spoke up, her voice bitter. “There’s no profit in curing a disease permanently.”

There had once been a time when Lena would have argued that Lucy’s accusation was ludicrous. But even before she had been Collected she had known from her days at LuthorCorp that all science, including medical science, was underscored by profit margins. She also knew that the governments would be unlikely to release anything that came from the Kryptonians, even something beneficial.

Her bitter thoughts were interrupted by the door to the medical bay opening and familiar figures walking through.

“Lena!” Andrea exclaimed, rushing across the room and pulling her into a tight hug.

“I’m fine,” Lena assured her. “Really, I feel fine now.”

“Is she?” Andrea’s mate asked Alex.

“She’s recovered for now,” Alex told them. “I recommend you take it easy for the next week or so, while the nanites do most of the work. Expect headaches and some dizziness, but if you feel faint lie down immediately and send for me.”

Lena nodded. “Alex?”

The red haired Kryptonian looked at her curiously.

“Thank you,” Lena said. “For saving my life. Truly.”

Alex nodded. “Of course.”

“We’ve arranged for you to have your own quarters,” Andrea said excitedly. “You’ll be right next door from our room.”

“And that’ll be safe?” Lena asked, glancing between them and Lucy.

“You’ll be under my protection,” Russ said. “It’s not the same as a mate’s protection, but I have authority as a Collection Officer. If any alpha tries to force themselves on you, their lives are forfeit.”

Lena nodded. Lucy squeezed her hand.

“Just let me know if you need anything,” the petite brunette told her.

“I will,” Lena assured her, though part of her was uncertain. So much had happened so quickly, and her mind hadn’t had time to process it yet. But Lucy seemed to understand this and just nodded.

Lena followed Andrea and her mate to her new quarters. It was smaller than Kara’s, just a bedroom with no dining area, and the walls couldn’t transform into windows because it was on the interior of the ship. Apparently Kara’s room was a nicer because she was the ship’s second in command. Some of Lena’s clothes— the clothes Kara had prepared for her— had been brought to the room and stored there, as had the tablet Lena had been using to study Kryptonian culture.

“You slept through lunch, but would you like to eat dinner with us?” Andrea asked. “Normally we eat with the crew, but if you’d rather not eat with a crowd, we can have food brought to our quarters or yours.”

“I think… I think I would just like to be alone for a little while, if that’s okay,” Lena told her.

Andrea nodded. “Of course. I’ll just have food brought to you here.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. She sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers over the soft gray blanket.

“Hey,” Andrea said, drawing her gaze back up. “I know you’ve been through an awful ordeal. Having your choices taken away…”

“I wouldn’t have chosen death, Andrea,” Lena said honestly. “If she had asked me, I wouldn’t have chosen death.”

Andrea studied her for a moment, then nodded. “But…”

Lena sighed. “I’m still angry that I didn’t get a choice.”

“That’s understandable, Lena, and completely rational,” her friend said, reaching out to rub Lena’s spine comfortingly. “When you’re ready, we can talk about the choices you do have now, okay? But take as much time as you need.”

Lena nodded in agreement and watched as Andrea left her in the room.

Alone.

It was an odd feeling. She had been left alone in Kara’s quarters for hours at a time over the past two days— the longest two days of Lena’s life, she was sure— but she had never felt quite alone. She had always known that the Kryptonian Alpha would be back at the end of the day. The room had always smelled faintly of Kara, a soft floral, herbal scent and a musky undertone that Lena thought went beyond any perfume or body wash and to the core of Kara’s being. This room smelled clean, almost sterile— empty.

But being alone gave her time to think, and she needed that more than ever. She had questions, perhaps more now than ever, some for Russ and Andrea, some for Kara, when she decided if she wanted to speak with her again. And she needed to plan, needed to figure out exactly what she wanted.

That last part was fairly simple. Her goal had not changed in the last day. She wanted to go home. It was figuring out how to get there that was complicated. Though, perhaps Kara subverting the rules of the Collection would actually prove to Lena’s advantage when it came to that.

That night, Lena was surprised to find that she slept like the dead. She blamed stress and her body recovering for that, because her mind certainly wanted to be working. But she woke as the lights began to glow and prepared for her day— she planned for it to be a full one.

When Andrea came and invited her to share breakfast with her and Russ, Lena agreed quickly. She joined them in the room beside hers, where Russ was sitting stiffly on the edge of their bed as another Kelex robot placed a tray of food on the bedside table.

“Miss Luthor,” Russ said, standing and bowing slightly.

“Please, you’re Andrea’s mate, you can call me Lena,” she said with a smile.

“Lena,” Russ said. He pulled Andrea into his side and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Andrea’s told me a lot about you, through the years. As horrible as the circumstances that brought you here are, I am glad my mate has her friend in her life again.”

Lena glanced down at her shoes. “That’s actually something I wanted to speak to you about.” She looked up, raising her chin proudly. “I was brought here illegally, as you well know. My Collection process did not follow correct protocol, and Kara El used subversive tactics to bring me aboard this vessel. My rights have been horribly violated. As such, I demand to be sent back to Earth.”

Russ sighed. “Lena, I’m sorry, but I don’t have the authority to return you. My job is to oversee the Collection process, to make sure that protocol is followed. If I had caught Kara before she brought you aboard, perhaps I could’ve stopped it, but regrettably I did not. Now that you’re here, there’s nothing that I can do.”

“But there must be someone who can, someone who does have that kind of authority!” Lena exclaimed. “I wasn’t allowed to set any of my affairs in order. I was head of a company that employed thousands of people, who knows what will become of my company or my employees. If my Collection was allowed, outside of protocol, then what’s stopping it from happening in the future?”

“I agree with you, Lena, honestly,” Russ said. “But as I said, my hands are tied.”

“She could go to the General,” Andrea said from behind them.

“Who?” Lena asked.

“Andrea, I don’t think that would be wise,” Russ replied anxiously.

“Who is the General?” Lena asked.

“She’s the highest in command on this vessel,” Russ explained. “She oversees all of the Collection vessels on this mission.”

“Well, then, take me to her,” Lena demanded.

“It’s not that simple,” Russ said. “She’s also Kara’s aunt.”

Lena’s breath caught in her throat. “She’s what?”

Russ nodded. “General Astra was Kara’s mother’s sister. She’s not a particularly pleasant individual, in my experience, but she has a soft spot for her niece. It’s why Kara has such a high rank though she’s young and unmated. I wouldn’t even put it past Astra to have had some part to play in your illegal Collection, though I can’t prove it.”

Lena swallowed down the lump in her throat. The odds certainly weren’t in her favor. “It can’t hurt to try, though, right?”

Russ sighed. He looked from Lena to Andrea and then back again before nodding, though his expression was grim. “Yeah, you’re right. I wouldn’t get your hopes up, but it’s worth a try. I’ll take you to see her after breakfast, alright?”

“Yes, thank you, Russ,” Lena said.

“Of course,” the Kryptonian said with a slight smile. “Anything for my mate’s friend.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena meets General Astra, then has a heart-to-heart with Kara.

Lena ate, if only because of Andrea’s insistence that she needed to keep her strength up to recover. Though the Kryptonian foods were richly spiced, she could hardly focus on the taste as she forced herself to chew each bite. Instead, she grilled Russ on information about General Astra.

The General was Kara’s aunt, twin sister of Kara’s late mother. They were remarkably rare identical twins, even more remarkable because one was an Alpha and the other an Omega. General Astra had served in Krypton’s army during the war with Daxam, and had lost her mate and young daughter when the Daxamites seeded Krypton with the deadly virus. She had devoted herself to military service after that, leaving her young niece to be raised in an orphanage. When Kara grew up and joined the military herself, Astra had taken her under her wing, which allowed Kara to rise through the ranks quickly.

Once breakfast was finished, Lena followed Russ and Andrea through the halls of the ship. The warnings from both Kara and Lucy flashed through her mind, but as they passed humans and Kryptonians working throughout the ship, they looked at her with little more than passing curiosity before continuing on their way. It was a sharp contrast to what Lena had been expecting, what Kara had made her expect, and the realization left her seething with anger, but she couldn’t address that yet.

They stopped outside a set of double sliding doors, and Russ placed his palm against the surface. A moment later the doors slid open with a hiss and they stepped inside.

“You’re a foolish girl. Did you expect her to ask you to mate her? To fall in love with you? We’re Alphas, Kara. Such emotions are beneath us. What have I told you? An Alpha takes what they want, and if you wanted the human…”

“General Astra,” Russ interrupted. Lena stepped around him to see further into the room.

It appeared to be a control room, completely circular and mostly white, with blue holographic screens and multiple control panels. The room was empty, save for two figures. Kara sat in a chair in the center of the room, and another woman stood over her. The resemblance between aunt and niece was clear, leaving Lena with no doubt that this was the General Russ El had spoken of. She wore a uniform similar to Kara’s, dark blue trimmed in silver, but the insignia on her shoulder— the sign of her House, Lena had learned— was also different. Her hair was dark brown, with a stark streak of silver on one side, and her eyes, while remarkably similar in color to Kara’s, were cold.

“Officer Russ El,” Astra said, turning. “I suppose you’re here about my niece’s alleged crimes?”

“No,” Lena interrupted, stepping around the Kryptonian. “He’s here because I asked him to bring me to you.”

“Ah,” Astra said, stepping away from her niece and toward Lena. Behind her, Lena saw Kara sit up straighter in the chair, her hands gripping it so hard that her knuckles turned white. “So you’re the human that has my niece so out of sorts.”

“Lena Luthor,” Lena said, standing straighter. The Kryptonian was taller than her, and clearly used to being in charge, but Lena was used to dealing with people like that. She adopted her boardroom stance, as her assistant had called it, a demeanor she had perfected over years of dealing with her family members and the privileged men and women they did business with.

“Astra of House Ze, General and Head of Argo’s Collection Force,” Astra replied. “I’ll save us both time, Miss Luthor. I know what my niece has done, but I must say that I empathize with her reasoning. If I were you, I might find myself grateful to the person who saved my life.”

Lena frowned but kept her composure. “Don’t get me wrong, General, I am grateful to be alive. In spite of the situation, I don’t think your niece is a bad person, just someone who made difficult decisions in a very difficult situation. I can’t even say that, had I been given the choice, I wouldn’t have chosen to undergo the procedures she ordered to save my life. However, I wasn’t given a choice. I was taken from my home planet against my will with no time to get my affairs in order. Collection procedure was bypassed and subverted to bring me aboard this ship and I was subjected to invasive medical procedures without my consent. My rights have been violated, even if it was done with good intent.”

Astra studied Lena, then turned away, looking back at her niece. Kara sat stiffly in the chair, watching Lena with a concerned but relieved expression.

“What would you have me do then, Miss Luthor?” Astra asked finally, turning back around to face her.

Lena stiffened her spine, standing as straight as she could. “I demand that you return me to Earth.”

The General’s brows shot up almost comically. A moment later peals of laughter burst from her throat, and the sound made Lena grit her teeth in frustration.

“Oh, you are something,” Astra said. “I can see why my niece was so taken with you now. But I think she may have misjudged you— she’s may not be a strong enough Alpha to tame an Omega like you.”

“General—“ Russ began.

“Quiet, Officer,” Astra hissed, shooting Russ a sharp look. “I suppose she made the same demand of you but instead of refusing her outright you decided to bring her to me?”

“Russ told me he did not have the authority to make such a decision,” Lena said.

“He’s correct, he does not,” Astra agreed. “That kind of authority rests in me, and even so it’s a moot point. Even if I granted you permission to leave this ship, I can’t send you back to Earth now that you’ve undergone the genetic modification procedure. Your own government has outlawed it. They made their decision when they set up the Collection process— believe me, I was there. They want as little to do with aliens as possible, and once you have our DNA they see you as one of us and no longer one of them. Do you know what they would do if I sent you back? They certainly wouldn’t welcome you with open arms. They would return you to us, even if we didn’t want you.”

Astra stepped away, circling around behind Kara’s chair with a flourish.

“On the other hand, there is at least one person on this ship who wants you,” she continued. “My niece may not be the strongest Alpha, but she isn’t undesirable. You would do well with her as a mate. The two of you would make strong pups.”

Lena bristled in frustration. “I will not be reduced to nothing more than a breeding bitch.”

“Lena—“ Kara exclaimed, but Lena had heard enough. She turned and fled from the room, pushing past Andrea and Russ El.

The halls of the ship twisted in a circular pattern, and she dodged Kryptonians and humans alike as she hurried away. She couldn’t remember the path back to her quarters, didn’t want to go back there, to her cage. Her frustration bubbled up, and she fought to push it down, to remember that she was a Luthor and she just needed a plan…

“ _Zhgam_!”

Lena was stopped by a wall of flesh. She stepped back and looked up at the Kryptonian she had run into. This one was male, taller than Russ El, with long brown hair tied back in a clip and a gray uniform.

“Stop, human,” the Kryptonian said, looking down at her. “You shouldn’t be running, you could get hurt.”

“I’m sorry,” Lena said. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” the man said, puffing out his chest. “Of course not.”

Lena fought the urge to roll her eyes at his obvious posturing. She looked around and through glass to one side of the hall saw a large open area filled with plants of all different varieties. A group of children sat in the center of the large room, with several adults who appeared to be teaching them.

“I don’t believe I’ve met you before,” the Kryptonian said, pulling Lena’s attention back to him. “My name is Ty of House Vel.”

“Lena,” she said, looking around the hall.

“Lena,” he said slowly, as if tasting the name in his mouth. “And who is your mate?”

“I don’t have one,” Lena replied, and the man’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ty Vel, I’m afraid I’ve gotten horribly turned around. Could you possibly show me to my quarters?”

“Of course,” he replied. “Do you know which quadrant you’re staying in?”

“Quadrant?” Lena asked. “No, I don’t. I know I’m staying beside Russ El and Andrea, if that helps.”

“Yes, it does actually,” he replied. “Just come with—“

Before Ty could finish his sentence a loud growl filled the corridor. They both turned quickly, but just as Ty moved strong hands gripped the front of his uniform and pushed him against the wall.

“Do not touch her!” Kara snarled, her face inches from the other Alpha’s. She was smaller than the male Kryptonian, but something about her seemed to exude a strength that went beyond physicality. A thick, musky scent filled the air and made Lena’s entire body flush.

“She is unmated, Captain, I would never touch her without her consent,” Ty rebuked.

“She is _mine_ ,” Kara growled.

“I most certainly am not!” Lena exclaimed. “Let him go and stop talking about me like I am something to be owned!”

Kara’s eyes widened, and she seemed to come out of a trance. She backed away from Ty-Vel, who pushed himself off the wall and began straightening out his uniform.

“I’m sorry, Ty Vel,” Kara said, bowing her head in apology.

“Apology accepted, Captain,” he replied. He looked back and forth between Lena and Kara for a moment before turning and walking quickly away.

“Lena—“

“That was ridiculous,” Lena chastised. “You have no right to behave that way, Kara. You don’t own me!”

“No, I don’t, and I’m sorry,” Kara said earnestly. “ _Rao_ , I just keep messing this up. I’m sorry, I just… My Alpha side is possessive over you. I’ll do my best to rein it in. I’m sorry…”

“Stop saying you’re sorry,” Lena scoffed. “Just don’t do it again.”

They stood in awkward silence for a long moment. Lena stepped past Kara, toward the windows that looked down on the planted room below.

“What is this?” she asked.

“It’s our conservatory,” Kara told her. “We grow plants from all over the universe, though most are from Argo and Earth. It’s where we grow fresh fruits and vegetables that we serve with our meals. And it doubles as a recreational space. My favorite time to visit is at night, though. The lights here also have a day/night cycle, and some of the plants glow in the dark.”

“Bioluminescence,” Lena murmured.

“Exactly.” Kara shuffled awkwardly. “Lena, I really am sorry—“

“I told you to stop saying that,” Lena huffed.

“No, not for that,” Kara said quickly. “Well, yes, about that. But for everything else.”

“You saved my life,” Lena said softly.

“I’m not sorry for that part,” Kara amended. “But for everything it entailed, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I had to take you away from your home. And I’m sorry that I made such drastic decisions without your consent. If there had been a way to ask for your permission… well…”

“Would you have asked?” Lena asked curiously.

Kara bit her lip. “I’m afraid you would’ve said no.”

Lena leaned against the glass behind her and studied the Kryptonian. “I think I would’ve said yes, if given the choice. I wouldn’t have wanted to die.”

“Oh,” Kara said. “Well… That’s good. Yeah.”

“Where are Russ and Andrea?” Lena asked, changing the subject.

“Still getting dressed down by my aunt, most likely,” Kara replied. “She’s not someone you want to anger, Aunt Astra.”

“She seemed upset with you,” Lena commented.

“She’s always upset with me,” Kara sighed. “My aunt has… very strong opinions, I guess, about how an Alpha should behave. I’ve never quite met her expectations.”

“From what I gather, I don’t think I would like you very much if you met her expectations,” Lena said honestly.

Kara inflated like a balloon in front of her. “You like me then?”

“I— I don’t dislike you, necessarily,” Lena said, skirting the question. “You’re not a bad person, Kara, in spite of doing some questionable things. Your intent was good, I know that.”

Kara smiled and looked down at her feet. “You’re very brave. There aren’t many people who speak to my aunt the way you did. I have no right, but it makes me proud.”

This time it was Lena who looked down. “Well, a lot of good it did me. You’re not upset that I asked to go home?”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Kara said with a grin.

Lena smiled back. Kara leaned against the opposite wall and looked at her with a faraway expression on her face.

“What are you thinking?” Lena asked, curious.

Kara blushed. “It’s foolish.”

“I want to know,” Lena said.

“I just…” Kara bit her lip. “I just wish things were different. I wish you would’ve been born on Krypton, that the virus had never happened. That maybe we would’ve met at the market or at a feast for the high houses.”

Lena’s eyes widened at the answer, but Kara continued.

“Or maybe that I had been born a human. That we would’ve met on Earth somehow. Maybe you would’ve bumped into me on the street, and we would’ve started up a conversation. I don’t know. Anything but this.”

Lena swallowed down the emotions that bubbled up in her throat. “What would you have done then? If we had met differently?”

Kara fixed her with an intent gaze. “I would have courted you, properly. On Krypton my parents would’ve gone to your parents to request permission for us to court. If permission was granted, I would’ve paid visits to your home, and you to mine. We would’ve accompanied each other to public events and spent quiet days getting to know each other.”

“What about on Earth?” Lena asked.

“I don’t know much about courtship on Earth,” Kara laughed innocently. “But I think I would’ve asked you to share meals with me. Spent hours talking to you, getting to know the real you. I would’ve met your family, and introduced you to mine. I think my parents would’ve loved you, especially my mother.”

“Lena!”

Andrea rounded the corner surprisingly quickly for a pregnant woman, followed by Russ El hot on her heels. Andrea looked at Kara suspiciously as she came to stand beside Lena.

“Are you alright?” she asked, her eyes still on Kara though the question was clearly directed at Lena.

“I’m fine. Disappointed, but fine,” Lena said.

“And you and Kara…” Andrea said, looking between them.

“Talking,” Lena told her firmly. “We needed to talk about some things anyway, so it was good to clear the air.”

She doesn’t mention Kara pinning Ty Vel against the wall. She’s not sure why. She knows it’ll upset Andrea, and rightfully so, but…

“Well, I have duties to attend to,” Kara said, bowing her head. “Andrea. Russ. Lena.”

Lena couldn’t help but watch as Kara walked away, following her with her eyes. She couldn’t miss the stubborn set of the Kryptonian’s shoulders, or the way her fists clenched at her sides.

“I don’t think she liked me interrupting,” Andrea commented with a giggle.

“It’s fine,” Lena said. “She was just telling me about the conservatory.”

“Would you like to go see it?” Andrea asked.

“Not right now,” Lena replied. “But could you show me the rest of the ship? If I’m allowed to leave my quarters, I’d at least like to know my way around so I don’t get lost.”

“Andrea can show you around,” Russ replied. “But just keep in mind, while it’s illegal for any Alpha to force you to do anything against your will, I don’t recommend you going out of your quarters alone. We haven’t had an unbonded Omega on Krypton in over twenty years, so I’m not sure how any unmated Alphas might react to you. And if any of them are untoward, be sure to let me know so I can deal with them appropriately.”

“Of course,” Lena agreed, though after the way everyone on the ship had behaved today she didn’t think Russ El had much to worry about. “Andrea? Shall we.”

“I’ll see you later, my love,” Andrea said, standing on tiptoe to give her mate a quick kiss on the cheek before linking her arm with Lena’s and heading in the opposite direction. “The dining hall is this way…”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate attempts, a jealous Kryptonian, an angry human.

The following morning found Lena in Andrea’s lab aboard the ship.

“Wow, this is nice,” Lena commented as she looked around the space.

“Lena!” Andrea exclaimed, looking up from her work. “How did you… Did you come here by yourself?”

“One of the crew members showed me the way,” Lena said, inspecting the projects that were lying on Andrea’s workbench. “She was very polite. Tala Oru, or something like that, I’m not sure how you keep all their names straight.”

“Once you learn their House symbols it gets easier,” Andrea told her. “But seriously, Lena, I thought you were staying in your room today. If you wanted to come with me you should’ve accompanied me this morning, or sent word by one of the service robots and I would’ve come to escort you here. It’s not—“

“Not safe, yes, that’s what everyone keeps telling me, but every Kryptonian on this ship has been nothing but polite to me,” Lena shrugged. “Are you still working on the virtual reality tech you started on Earth?”

“I am. The Kryptonians are hoping to make a virtual model of their home planet. That way future generations can experience it, even though it’s no longer inhabitable,” Andrea replied, but she was no longer focused on her work. “Lena, until you’re bonded…”

“What does that even mean? Is it like a marriage ceremony or something?” Lena asked, her frustration leaching into her voice.

“Not quite,” Andrea said. “I take it you haven’t gotten to that chapter in your modules.”

Lena looked away quickly. She had abandoned the educational modules on the tablet after confronting Kara about those dreaded heat cycles, instead focusing her time on the tablet on researching other things.

“Well, in a normal process,” Andrea began, “once a human and Kryptonian have decided they want to become mates, the human undergoes the genetic modification process. It uses that particular Kryptonian’s DNA because they’ve found that makes it easier for the human to conceive with that particular Alpha. It changes your reproductive system so that you’ll go through heats, and it also makes you release certain pheromones that will attract Alphas to you— and not just the Alpha your DNA matches, any unmated Alpha.”

“Then what the hell is bonding?” Lena asked.

“It’s this,” Andrea said, reaching up and pulling aside the neck of her shirt to expose a patch of scar tissue. Lena stepped closer to get a better look and realized it was teeth marks.

“Christ, Andrea, what the fuck?” she exclaimed.

Andrea rearranged her shirt to mostly cover the mark. “After an Omega’s DNA is changed, when they have sex with their Alpha, they each bite one another on the neck like this. It leaves a permanent scar and bonds you to that person. From that point on, you only want that person. Sure you might find another person attractive, or their pheromones might stir up your sexual urges, but you’ll only be satisfied by your mate.”

“So no infidelity, that’s a plus” Lena said, fidgeting with a small metal device from Andrea’s table. Now that she thought about it, she could remember seeing the edge of a scar at the edge of Russ’s collar, and the same on James and Lucy’s necks.

“It’s a survival mechanism,” Andrea told her. “It stabilizes their society, makes raising offspring safer and more successful. It’s… wonderful really.”

“I never imagined Andrea Rojas would be preaching the benefits of monogamy,” Lena said with a wag of her eyebrows.

“Oh, stop,” Andrea said, nudging her shoulder. “And put that down before you break it. I know I was far from chaste when we were in school together but with Russ… Look, I knew pretty soon after I met him that he was it for me. He’s a good guy and so good to me. Like two dates in I wanted him to be mine, and to be his.”

Lena frowned. “You got that choice.”

Andrea took her hand. “Look, I know we haven’t really talked about this but… It’s possible that you might have a choice, too. Not to get out of this completely, which I know is what you want, but maybe to choose who will be your mate, at least.”

“But Kara’s DNA…”

“Makes it easier for the two of you to have children together, yes,” Andrea said. “But it doesn’t make it impossible for you to have children with another Alpha, I don’t think. From what I’ve read on the early stages when they were researching the process, some of the earliest humans who were genetically modified all used the same batch of DNA from the same Alpha, but they were able to mate with different Kryptonians. It was only after a few rounds that they realized that it would make it easier to conceive if they used their particular mate’s DNA in the process.”

Lena took a moment to take in this new information. “But… Would they even want me? Knowing that I’ve already been modified with Kara’s DNA?”

“Lena, honey, have you looked in a mirror?” Andrea said, and this time it was Lena who shoved her. “Plus, I’m not an expert on this, but it might even be possible to change your DNA again, you know, overwrite it with another Alpha’s.”

Lena’s head shot up at that. “What?”

“You’d have to ask Alex Danvers to be sure, since she’s the ship’s expert on the process. But I think she could…”

“If she could change my DNA again, maybe she could just undo what’s already been changed!” Lena exclaimed. “Andy, you’re a genius!”

“That’s not what I—“

“I need to go see Alex,” Lena said, eyes wide. She jumped up from the bench and headed for the door.

“Wait, Lena, just let me put this up and I’ll go with you!” Andrea shouted, but Lena was already out the door and practically sprinting toward the medbay.

“Alex!” she called loudly when she entered— which was really unnecessary because the Kryptonian in question was in the station closest to the door, wrapping a bandage around a young child’s ankle while his mother stood nearby.

Alex’s gaze darted to Lena and she held up a hand, telling her to wait a moment while she finished wrapping the bandage.

“Alright, buddy, you’re good to go,” she said to the boy, ruffling his brown hair. “No running or kicking for at least a week, alright?”

“Alright,” he agreed. The boy’s mother scooped him up into her arms and carried him out of the medbay past Lena.

“Lena, did you come here all by yourself?” Alex asked.

“Yes, and if one more person tells me that it’s not safe I might scream, so save it,” Lena huffed. “Listen, Alex, I need to ask you something. Is it possible for you to overwrite the genetic modification you did on me?”

Alex’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Andrea mentioned that it might be possible for you to overwrite Kara’s DNA with another Alpha’s DNA, is that a possibility?” Lena asked.

“I’m not sure,” Alex said, crossing her arms as she thought. “I’m not sure it would be safe, honestly. DNA is malleable to an extent, but we don’t want to change it too much and cause damage. If you want to take another Alpha as a mate, it’s already possible. Your chances of conception with an Alpha other than Kara are lower but not zero.”

“And what about undoing the process entirely?” Lena asked.

Alex’s face fell. “Lena…”

“Alex, everyone’s been saying that the main reason I can’t be returned to Earth is because human governments made it illegal for a woman who’s been genetically altered to come back,” Lena said quickly. “If you can just undo the process, then it would be perfectly legal. I could go home.”

“Lena… It’s never been done before. It’s not something we have the ability to do. It took us years to develop the proteins we use to add Kryptonian DNA to a human’s genome. Removing it would likely tear your DNA apart, make your cells incredibly unstable. Your body would fail, it would kill you. And if I remember correctly, you didn’t want to die, am I right?”

Lena bit the inside of her cheek. “You’re right. I don’t want that.”

“I know it’s hard to hear, and I’m sure everyone keeps saying it,” Alex said. “But the best advice I can give you is to try to make your best life with us.”

Lena looked up sharply. “And I suppose you think that my best life would be with Kara?”

Alex raised her hands in mock surrender. “ I never said that. I mean, would I love it if you and my sister could be happy together? Yes, of course. Do I think you’re compatible? Possibly. But she knew when she decided to use her vial on you that there was a chance you wouldn’t choose her in the end, and she was willing to take that chance.”

“Her vial?” Lena asked.

Alex’s eyes widened again and she ran her fingers through her short hair. “Dammit. I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

“Mother fu— Alex, if there’s something _else_ that you’re all keeping from me, then I deserve the truth,” Lena demanded.

“You do,” Alex agreed. “It’s just… Kara didn’t want you to feel obligated to her, in any way.”

Lena crossed her arms. “Believe me, there’s nothing that would make me feel obligated to her.”

Alex sighed. “When Kryptonians set the protocols for mating with humans, there was some concern that some might take the process lightly, or that they might, um, get chilly feet—“

“Cold feet,” Lena interrupted.

“Huh?” Alex said.

“Get cold— You know what, never mind, continue.”

“There was concern that a Kryptonian and a human might decide to mate, and the woman undergo the genetic modification procedure with that Alpha’s genes, but then the Alpha back out before actually mating with the Omega,” Alex explained. “It has never happened, but it was a concern. Naturally nobody wanted the human women to undergo such a drastic procedure only for the Alpha to back out, so our Council made a law that would make Alphas take the process even more seriously.

“A vial is created for every eligible Alpha— just one vial— containing the serum used to modify a human’s DNA and that Alpha’s DNA. Once that vial is used on a human, they cannot get another. If for whatever reason one of the pair backs out after the modification process is complete, then the Alpha has lost their chance at having a mate.”

“So Kara… Kara used her one shot at having a mate on me?” Lena asked. Alex nodded in confirmation. “Idiot. Why would she do that? She doesn’t even know me.”

“I can’t speak for my sister,” Alex said. “But apparently Kara felt like she knew enough about you to believe that saving you was worth it. I think she held out hope that you would grow to care for her, still does, in fact. That’s up to you, but I think you deserve to have all the facts to make your decision about her, and about the life you want here.”

Lena nodded. “Thank you, Alex. I appreciate your honesty.”

“Anytime,” Alex said.

“I need to get back to my quarters,” Lena said, standing suddenly.

“Let me walk you back,” Alex said. “You shouldn’t be in the halls by yourself.”

“I’ll be fine!” Lena snipped. “I just… I just need to be alone.”

She hurried from the room before Alex could stop her. She shuffled her way down the hallway, trying to blink the tears out of her eyes.

For a moment she had had hope but then…

“Lena?”

The masculine voice calling her name pulled her out of her thoughts. She blinked quickly and looked up to see a Kryptonian with brown hair and a gray uniform approaching her.

“Oh, hello,” she said. “It’s Ty Vel, right?”

“Yes,” the Alpha said, seeming pleased that she remembered. “Have you lost your way again?”

“No,” Lena replied. “No, I’m just heading back to my quarters.”

“Would you like me to escort you?”

“Why does everyone want to escort me everywhere I go?” Lena exclaimed. Ty’s eyes widened at her outburst. “I’m sorry, you didn’t deserve that, Tyl. I’m just… frustrated, right now.”

“Oh, well, I cannot speak for anyone else,” Ty said. “But I simply wish to escort you because I would like to speak with a lovely human such as yourself. That’s all.”

Lena studied the Kryptonian with narrowed eyes. Her gaze landed on the side of his neck, the place Andrea said a mated Kryptonian would have a mark, and saw that it was bare. The warnings she had been given flashed through her mind, but Ty’s posture was relaxed, his demeanor non-threatening, and his expression seemed genuinely interested. Besides, if she was supposed to have the option to mate with an Alpha besides Kara, she had to meet and get to know them somewhere.

“I’d like that,” she said, giving him her most coquettish grin.

Ty smiled victoriously and held out his arm. “Lena?”

She slipped her hand into the bend of his arm and he began walking down the hall toward her room.

“So what do you do on the ship, Ty?”

——

That evening, for the first time, Lena joined Andrea and Russ to eat dinner with the rest of the crew in the dining hall. This was apparently how most of the crew took their regular meals, though sometimes they would eat in their rooms with smaller family groups or friends who wanted privacy for some occasion. Many tables were positioned throughout the room— Andrea and Russ made sure to choose a table on the opposite side of the room from where Lena could see Kara sharing a meal with General Astra. Food was arranged buffet style around the room, and crew members helped themselves. Andrea cautioned Lena to avoid any dishes in red bowls, as those items were actually dangerous for humans to eat, and to limit portions of anything in orange bowls, as those items held no nutritional value for humans.

“You should try these,” a deep feminine voice said into Lena’s ear, gesturing to an orange bowl. “It’s a creature from Tandu, an oceanic planet. My cousin’s mate says it reminds her of calamari, whatever that is, but spicy. It gives Kryptonians a nutrient needed to sustain our bones in space, but does little for humans beyond the taste.”

Lena looked up at the Kryptonian who was speaking to her. She had dark skin, sleek black hair, and gray eyes. Her uniform was gray like Ty Vel’s, meaning she worked in maintaining the ship’s many mechanical parts, and her neck was unscarred.

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to try them,” Lena said, picking a few of the fried pieces from the bowl.

“My name is Doan of House Roark,” the Alpha said. “May I join you for dinner?”

“Only if you tell me what the rest of this is,” Lena said with a smile.

Doan explained the other dishes nearby and helped Lena select her meal. Then she followed Lena to the table where Russ and Andrea were already sitting.

“Do you two mind if someone joins us?” Lena asked, talking her seat.

“Not at all,” Andrea said with a sly grin that Lena recognized from their schooldays. “Who’s your friend?”

Doan, it turned out, was the lead chemical engineer working on the ship’s engine, maintaining the delicate chemical processes that kept the ship running and allowed it to travel through space. Back on Argo, she worked to develop more efficient methods of space travel. Lena found her conversation riveting, comparing many of her projects to those she had begun seeking clean energy at LuthorCorp.

“I could show you the engine core sometime, if you would like,” Doan said with a grin as they stepped back toward the buffet for dessert— Lena had found that Kryptonians as a whole had an excessive sweet tooth.

“That would be fascinating,” Lena said excitedly.

Suddenly the sound of bending metal pierced the room, followed by silence. Lena turned quickly to see Kara hurrying from the room, and behind her the table where she was sitting clearly had handprints embedded in the metal surface.

“Lena?” Doan said, but Lena’s feet were moving before her mind could catch up with her.

She shouldn’t care. In fact, she mentally cursed herself for caring at all. But she still found herself following Kara out of the dining hall and into one of the ship’s passageways.

“Kara?” she called after the Kryptonian.

Kara froze mid-stride and turned faster than Lena could blink.

“What are you doing?” Kara demanded, her blue eyes vivid with anger.

“I’m just checking on you,” Lena said, crossing her arms defensively.

“No, what are you doing _in there_?” Kara asked, gesturing toward the dining hall. “What are you doing with Doan Roark?”

Lena scoffed. “That’s none of your business.”

“None of my—?” Kara stepped toward Lena menacingly, then stopped herself. She seemed to shrink in front of Lena, going from larger than life back to her normal self. “You’re right. Of course you’re right. It’s none of my business who you interact with.”

“Damn straight,” Lena muttered in agreement.

Kara looked away for a moment. “Alex told me what you talked about today.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “Of course she did. Why didn’t you tell me that you used your only chance at a mate to save me?”

“I didn’t want you to feel some kind of obligation,” Kara replied. “I wanted to save you because you’re worth saving, not just so you’d be my mate.”

“But you do want me as your mate?” Lena asked.

“Of course I do,” Kara said, her voice dreamlike. “You’re wonderful. You’re smart and kind and good—“

“You don’t even know me!” Lena shouted. “You know what you’ve read in newspapers and magazines. You know things I’ve done in public, you don’t know who I am. You wasted your chance at happiness on a total stranger.”

“Are you… Are you actually angry at me for _saving you_?” Kara asked incredulously.

“No,” Lena defended. “I’m just… It was a stupid thing to do, Kara. And just so you know, I’m grateful, but I don’t feel beholden to you because of it. I’m not going to agree to be your mate just because you used your vial on me.”

“Good,” Kara said. “I think.”

Lena snorted. “God, you’re such an idiot.”

“Hey, I may not be the lead chemical engineer on the ship’s engine, but I’m not dumb,” Kara argued.

Lena’s mouth gaped like a fish. “Is that what this is about? Are you _jealous_?”

“No,” Kara lied.

“You have no right to be,” Lena told her.

“I know I don’t,” Kara sighed. “But you shouldn’t be alone with unmated Alphas.”

“I’m alone with you right now!” Lena exclaimed. “How is that any different?”

“You can trust me,” Kara said.

“Why should I trust you over them?” Lena spat. “Of all the Alphas on this ship, the only one who has done anything to me against my will has been _you_.”

Kara’s eyes widened. She swallowed hard, her lip quivering, and for a moment part of Lena wanted to apologize. But her angry words had been the truth, truth she had been holding inside and allowing to fester for days now, and Kara needed to hear them.

“You’re right,” Kara said finally. “I— I should go.”

The Kryptonian shuffled away down the hall like a kicked puppy, and Lena had to bite her tongue to keep from calling after her.

“Lena, are you alright?”

Lena turned to see Andrea coming around the corner. She had a knowing look on her face.

“You heard?” Lena asked.

Andrea nodded. “Seems like that was a long time coming.”

Lena nodded. “Fuck, I’m just so angry at her but also glad she saved my life in the process and it’s just a lot.”

“I can’t imagine,” Andrea said honestly. “But you don’t have to hold it all in. I know how you are, Lena. You box your feelings up tight and hold them in and try to drown them with alcohol and all it does is make a huge fiery explosion when you do let them out.”

“That’s accurate,” Lena admitted.

“I’ve been on the receiving end of your explosions enough times to know,” Andrea said, bumping her shoulder against Lena’s. “If you need to talk to me, talk to me. If you need to talk to Lucy, you can talk to Lucy. If you need to talk to Kara or yell at Kara, it can be arranged. Just, please, don’t hold it in and do something stupid, okay?”

Lena sighed. “I’ll try my best.”

“That’s… Not actually an agreement, but I’ll take it,” Andrea said. “Now, come on. I saved you some of the chocolate coffee cake and it’s _amazing_ , and I’m not just saying that because I’m hormonal.”

Lena couldn’t help but laugh. “Hey, Andy?”

“Yeah?” Andrea replied.

“I’m glad you’re with me again,” she said honestly.

Andrea’s face softened. “You jump, I jump, right?”

Lena nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS STORY IS NOW TAGGED “ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT”
> 
> Trigger warning: Attempted sexual assault in this chapter.

Over the next week, Lena tried to settle in on the ship. She spent a lot of her time on the tablet, completing the educational modules and studying the Kryptonese language module Kara had placed on it. She spent some time with Andrea in her lab, learning more about her work. She even took time to speak with Lucy. The human-turned-Omega was easy to talk to, and Lena found herself building a strong friendship with the woman.

She accompanied Doan Ro to the ship’s engine core one day, going deep into the belly of the ship where many people, human and Kryptonian alike, worked to keep everything running smoothly. She even saw Ty Vel there, and talked to him about how he maintained the ship’s breathable air supply. She ate her meals in the dining hall with the crew, and spoke to many different people, both mated pairs and unmated Alphas. After a few days, she found herself growing comfortable around the Kryptonians and their mates.

She didn’t see Kara again. According to Lucy, Kara was taking all of her meals in her quarters, only leaving to go attend to her daily duties as ship captain and then returning every evening. She was trying to give Lena the space she needed, Lucy said, and Lena was grateful for that, in a way.

Lena should’ve known it couldn’t last.

“Oh, shoot!” Lena exclaimed on her way to dinner with Andrea and Russ El. “I forgot the schematics I was going to show Doan.”

“You can show them to her tomorrow,” Russ said cheerfully. He had grown more relaxed in Lena’s presence over the last few days, now joining in when she and his mate were teasing each other.

“No, I can just run back to my room and get them,” Lena said. “You two go on, I know Andrea needs to feed that little Kryptonian. I’ll catch up.”

They both still got a slightly anxious look in their eyes whenever Lena going off on her own was brought up. But over the last week, Lena’s presence hadn’t caused any issues amongst the unmated Alphas on the ship. Russ swore she was putting off pheromones like a homing beacon, which explained why so many Alphas flocked to interact with her on a daily basis, but all of them were perfectly respectful in her presence.

Lena hurried away before they could say anything further, heading back toward her quarters. She and Doan had been discussing a design that would more efficiently introduce the Kryptonian ore into the ship’s engine, and she had drawn a rough sketch of her idea earlier that day to show the Alpha. It felt wonderful to use her scientific skills again, and she was excited to share her ideas.

A heavy thud greeted her as she made her way toward her quarters, growing louder as she made her way through the corridor. She rounded the last corner to see a large figure in a gray uniform beating his palm against the door of her room.

“Ty Vel?” she said. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at dinner?”

The Alpha turned and he smiled, but Lena noted that his features seemed stiff.

“I came to see you, Lena,” he said, his tone cheerful but unusually gruff.

“Well, here I am,” she said. “I just need to get something from my quarters, and then I’ll be heading back to the dining hall. Why don’t you accompany me?”

She brushed past the Alpha quickly, resting her palm flat against the door until it slid open. She stepped inside and looked around for her drawings, finding them on the bedside table.

“What’s that?”

She jumped and turned around. Ty was standing inches behind her, craning to look over her shoulder. His eyes were dark, pupils dilated, and this close Lena could smell a musky, heavy scent rolling off of him in waves.

“Some schematics that I drew up today. I was going to show them to Doan over dinner, but I forgot them,” she said brightly. “Ty, are you alright?”

“You shouldn’t bother with Doan,” he said, not answering her question. “She’s not a worthy Alpha. She doesn’t deserve your courtship.”

Lena flushed. “We’re not courting, Ty, we’re just discussing plans for the ship. We should go.”

She moved to step past him, but the Kryptonian blocked her path toward the door. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, and she could feel the tiny hairs at the base of her neck stand on end.

“Tyl, what are you doing?” she asked. “We should go to dinner.”

“No, no dinner,” the Alpha said, shaking his head. “There will be others there, other Alphas. We should stay here, just you and I.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. “You’re not yourself.”

The Alpha let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Oh but I am. I’m more myself than I’ve ever been. Not having Omegas has trapped our Alphas for so long, made them dormant and weak. But being around you… I’ve found a part of myself that I never knew before.”

Lena shuffled backward, trying to give herself more space to get around the Kryptonian, but he just followed her back.

“Ty, what are you doing? Why do you smell like that?” Lena asked.

“Don’t you like it?” he asked. “You must like it. Your Omega certainly does. I can smell it. You’re responding to me.”

Lena shook her head, but she knew he was right. She could feel it too, beneath the fear, a primitive lust like nothing she had ever felt before. Her rational mind knew that she didn’t want this, not like this, but her body was responding to the pheromones Ty Vel was emitting. Her skin flushed and between her thighs...

“Just because my body wants this doesn’t mean that I do,” she said firmly as the backs of her knees hit the edge of her bed. “And it’s against your laws to take an unmated female against her will. You know that. You’re a good man, a good Alpha. You don’t want to hurt me.”

“No, I’m not going to hurt you,” he told her even as he stepped into her personal space. “I’m going to make you scream, Lena, but not in pain. You’ll be screaming my name, begging me to mate you and give you my knot.”

Lena gasped as he shoved her back and she fell onto the bed. The Kryptonian climbed over her, evading her kicking legs and grappling fists and reaching for the neck of her blouse. With one strong tug he ripped the front of her blouse open, baring her from neck to navel.

“Ty, stop, this isn’t what I want, this isn’t what you want,” Lena said as he bent his head and inhaled over the skin between her breasts.

“Yes it is,” the Alpha replied. “I want you. Don’t you realize that?”

He thrust his hips firmly against Lena’s, and she could feel the outline of his cock pushing against the gray fabric of his pants. It spurred something in her, both an irrational lust that made her clench and gush between her legs, and a panic that made her fight harder.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, both calling for help and trying to break Ty from whatever lustful trance he seemed to be under. She kicked and screamed and shoved but the Kryptonian above her was like a living stone, unhurt by her blows or the claw marks she left wherever she could drag her nails. After one blow to his face came too near his eyes, however, he roared and grabbed both of her hands in one of his and stretched them above her head, pinning her.

Lena cried out as the motion pulled painfully at the muscles in her shoulders, and whimpered as droplets of sweat from the Kryptonian’s brow dripped onto the side of her face. Ty growled into her neck as he mouthed the skin there, the place where Kryptonians bit their mates, and his free hand went lower, fumbling with the fastening of the pants she was wearing.

“Ty, please, please don’t do this,” Lena begged, but he only growled louder.

A sudden hiss drew Ty’s attention from her shoulder, but before he could turn around he was ripped away from Lena. Lena shuddered at the sudden blast of cold air against her front, then she looked across the room.

She would recognize Kara’s blonde curls and blue uniform anywhere, but that was where the familiarity ended. The creature that was Kara El, in that moment, was far removed from the meek Kryptonian Alpha who had fled her presence a week before. Kara snarled as she moved between Ty and Lena, and the other Alpha roared in response. He swung wildly at Kara, but she dodged his blows, her speed making her almost a blur to Lena’s eyes. With each missed strike, Lena could see the frustration building in Ty’s face until, with a shout, he charged at Kara with arms outstretched. But it was like Kara had been waiting for this, expecting it. She brought her foot up expertly and delivered a bruising kick to the other Alpha’s chest, sending him flying back to the floor on his ass.

Lena knew Kara well enough to know that under normal circumstances, she would end the fight now, with her enemy on the ground, but these weren’t normal circumstances. She fell on Ty’s prone form with a savage roar, pulling her fist back over and over and pounding it into the other Alpha’s face.

“You. Will. Never. Touch. Her. Again.” Kara growled between each blow.

“Kara! Kara stop!” Lena shouted, sitting up on the bed. She could see blood streaming from Ty-Vel’s face, dripping onto the floor and staining his gray uniform. “Kara stop, you’ll kill him. Kara!”

The female Alpha froze, fist pulled back, and her eyes widened. Her pupils suddenly shrank, the blue of her eyes returning in a flood. She turned to look at Lena, huddled fearfully on the bed, and suddenly the scent of Ty’s heavy musk was gone, replaced by a heady herbal scent that calmed Lena’s racing heart.

“Lena,” Kara breathed, her voice rumbling like a purr, just as the doors of the room hissed open again.

“Oh my god!” Andrea shouted. “Oh, god, Lena!”

“Andy!” Lena shouted, opening her arms as Andrea ran to her and pulled her into a protective embrace.

Russ El stood in the doorway, and behind him Lena could see Alex and General Astra.

“What happened here?” Russ demanded.

“I was in the hallway when I heard Lena screaming,” Kara said calmly. “When I opened the door I saw Ty Vel on top of her on the bed, and she was begging him to get off of her.”

Russ growled and turned to Lena. “Is that true?”

Lena nodded. “He was knocking at my door when I came back to get the schematics. I didn’t realize… Something wasn’t right about him.”

The Alphas in the doorway all took a deep breath, their nostrils flaring in a way that would’ve been comical in any other situation.

“He’s entered rut,” Russ declared. “Alex…”

“He came to me asking for a suppressant earlier today,” Alex said. “But with an unmated Omega nearby, it must not have been as effective.”

“He tried to—“ Lena began, but her breath caught in her throat and she couldn’t finish her statement.

“It’s alright, Omega, we all know what he tried to do,” Astra said. “Alex, treat his injuries and then put him in one of the reinforced rut cells.”

“Yes, General,” Alex replied. She quickly had two service robots lift Ty Vel’s unconscious form and carried it from the room, and a third robot began cleaning the blood from the floor.

“Omega, you have been warned about the dangers of interacting with Alphas alone on this ship, and yet you have continued to do so,” Astra said.

“Aunt Astra, this wasn’t her fault!” Kara exclaimed. “Ty Vel has disgraced himself. He should’ve had more control.”

“Ty Vel is not you, Little One,” Astra said, and Kara visibly flinched at the pet name. “He has not learned the discipline that you have. None of the Alphas on this ship have.”

“She’s right, Kara,” Lena said softly.

“The hell she is!” Kara argued. She approached Lena softly, and when Lena didn’t flinch away she took Lena’s hands in hers. “You are a strong, independent woman, Lena Luthor, and you should not have to live in fear of being assaulted just because weak Alphas cannot control their urges.”

“She’s right, Lena,” Andrea said, but Lena paid them no mind.

“What will happen to him?” she asked, looking between Russ and Astra.

“An Alpha forcing oneself on an Omega is punishable by death,” Russ told her.

“No!” Lena exclaimed. “He shouldn’t die, not because of me.”

“Lena, it’s not because of you, he made his choice,” Kara said.

“He wasn’t in his right mind,” Lena argued. “I’ve talked to him, I know Ty wouldn’t do that if he was himself. It’s… What did you call it? It’s his rut, that’s what it is.”

“Lena, that is our law,” Russ sighed.

“On Earth, people could plead insanity,” Lena said. “If they weren’t in their right mind when they committed a crime, they could plead insanity. They were still held accountable for their actions, but they received help to control whatever was wrong with them. Hell, it’s the only thing that kept them from giving my brother the death penalty. Can’t you do something like that?”

She looked back and forth between Kara and Astra and Russ, all of whom seemed to be sharing heavy glances and speaking silently between themselves. Finally, Astra spoke.

“He will be tried when we return to Argo,” she said. “The Council will decide his fate. If you wish to speak on his behalf there, then you may. But whether or not your input will sway their decision, I do not know. Our laws are in place to protect women like you, Miss Luthor. If we do not enforce them, then it may lead to more errant Alphas believing that they can get away with what Ty Vel tried to do to you.”

Astra looked around the room. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Keep me apprised of the situation, Russ El.”

“Yes, General Astra,” Russ-El replied.

Kara squeezed Lena’s hands, looking between her and where Andrea was hugging her supportively. “You’re in good hands now. I’ll take my leave as well.”

Lena held fast to one of Kara’s hands as she stood to move away. “Kara?”

The Kryptonian looked down with wide eyes.

“Thank you for saving me,” Lena said. “Again.”

Kara squeezed her hand gently, and Lena had a hard time believing that that same hand had nearly beaten Ty Vel’s face in.

“I will save you as many times as you need saving, Lena,” she said softly. “Though, I do hope I don’t have to.”

Lena forced a small smile as Kara pulled her hand away and left the room.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, hmm?” Andrea said. “You reek of pheromones, bleh!”

She shuffled Lena toward the bathroom and helped her remove her clothes and get into the shower. The hot water burned against Lena’s skin, but the pain felt good. She grabbed a rough sponge and the sticky body wash and began rubbing at her skin. She felt dirty, as if Ty Vel’s pheromones had soaked into her skin, so she scrubbed and scrubbed at every inch, until it was raw and burning, and she scrubbed more, until her normally pale skin was an angry red but still nothing seemed to make it go away. She threw the sponge into the floor, and a dark purple stain drew her attention. Bruises had bubbled up on both her wrists, and if she looked hard enough she could just make out the imprints of Ty Vel’s fingers.

“Andy!” she shouted. “Andy! Andy!”

“Lena? Lena, what? Oh, Lena.”

Andrea stepped under the spray with her just as Lena’s legs gave out and the tears began in earnest. She sobbed into Andrea’s soaked blouse, hiccoughing between breaths until she couldn’t stop, couldn’t seem to draw a breath.

“Lena? Lena, honey, breathe. Lena?” Andrea said, shaking her. “Russ! Russ, she’s not breathing! Call Alex! Call someone! Lena! Lena!”

Suddenly the shower door opened and another scent filled the room. It was familiar, so familiar, rich spices and soothing florals.

“You shouldn’t be here, Kara,” Andrea warned.

“She needs to calm down,” Kara said softly, and suddenly her hands were on Lena, pulling her body from Andrea’s and into her own. “Breathe, Lena. In, out, slow, deep. You can do it. That’s it.”

With each shuddering lungful the scent got stronger. _Pheromones_ , Lena’s rational mind realized, and part of her thought that was cheating, but it was calming her. Her heartbeat slowed and her breathing evened out. Something about Kara’s scent calmed her better than the best anti-anxiety medication she had ever taken.

“Let’s get you dried off,” Kara said, picking her up as if she weighed nothing and carrying her from the shower.

She sat Lena on a small stool in the bedroom and Lena found she couldn’t be shy about her nakedness while Kara and Andrea both toweled her off. Andrea held her hands as Kara braided her still-damp hair into a loose braid, and then they pulled her pliant body into a pair of loose pajamas and Kara tucked her beneath the covers of her bed.

“There you go,” Kara said softly, running her fingers through the loose strands of hair at Lena’s temple. “Sleep now, _zhao_.”

Lena reached up and grabbed her wrist. “Don’t go.”

Kara’s eyes widened, and she looked between Lena and Andrea helplessly. Finally Andrea sighed and fixed Kara with a fierce glare.

“Take care of her, Kara,” she warned. She bent and pressed a soft kiss to Lena’s temple. “Let me know if you need me, okay?”

“Mmhmm,” Lena nodded.

Andrea left them, and the door slid closed with a hiss behind her. Kara looked from the closed door to Lena’s face.

“Lena, you don’t want me here,” she said softly. “Not after everything.”

“I need you here,” Lena argued. “You keep doing that good-smelly thing and it makes everything okay.”

Kara sighed. “It’s my pheromones.”

“I know,” Lena said with a yawn. “Just… Stay here, please. Just for tonight. I’ll ask Alex to give me something to help me calm down and sleep tomorrow if I still feel like this. But for tonight, please stay.”

Kara bit her lip. “I shouldn’t. I’m an Alpha too, you know. I could do what Russ did. I could start my rut and lose my mind with how much I want you.”

Lena shook her head. “But you won’t. I know you won’t hurt me, Kara-El.”

“How do you know?” Kara asked.

“Because you promised me that you wouldn’t, remember?”

Kara stared at Lena for another long moment before she pulled her wrist from Lena’s grasp. She pulled off her damp uniform and threw it into the floor beside the bed, leaving her only in what looked like a sports bra and compression shorts. She crawled into bed, but stayed on top of the covers. Lena stretched out a hand toward her, and Kara took it in her own.

“Good night, Kara,” Lena said softly, inhaling the rich scent of Kara’s pheromones.

“Good night, Lena,” Kara replied.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forgiveness and new beginnings.

Lena slept surprisingly deeply, but she still awoke early, even earlier than Kara. She awoke warm, too warm, and quickly realized that she was cocooned in warm arms. For a moment she panicked, only to realize it was Kara who was holding her. The Kryptonian was still above the covers, but somehow throughout the night both of them had gravitated to the middle of the bed, drawn together like magnets, until they were intertwined, only separated by blankets and sheets.

It wasn’t so bad, Lena surmised. She was comfortable, wrapped in Kara’s arms. Part of her thought she shouldn’t like it so much, after everything Kara had done and after what had happened the day before, but she couldn’t deny the primal pleasure she felt when Kara squeezed her lightly in her sleep and signed against her forehead.

She could get used to this.

And perhaps that was for the best. Apparently she was pumping out pheromones just like Kara, though she couldn’t sense her own. That was why the unmated Alphas on the ship flocked to her, why they wanted to spend time around her: they all viewed her as a potential mate. And just like Kara had warned her when she first came on the ship, her pheromones had caused Ty Vel to go into an uncontrollable rut and…

Everyone said it wasn’t her fault, and it wasn’t. But it was her pheromones’ fault. And if Lena had just listened to everyone’s warnings, Ty wouldn’t have assaulted her. He wouldn’t be sitting in a cell. And he wouldn’t be up for trial whenever he returned to Argo where the penalty could be death.

It couldn’t happen again.

Lena looked up at Kara. Part of her wanted to blame the Kryptonian— after all, Kara had been the one to change her into this— but she couldn’t. Kara had done it to save her life. And Kara wasn’t a bad person. In fact, from their interactions, Kara was actually a good person. She was definitely attractive, Lena couldn’t deny that. She was kind, and gentle toward Lena, but strong. And, dammit all to hell, she was charming. It was impossible to stay angry at Kara, honestly.

If they were mated, it wouldn’t happen again. If Lena would just finish the damn process and let Kara mate with her and bite her, she would no longer be unbonded. Her pheromones wouldn’t drive the unmated Alphas crazy then. Everyone would be safe.

She glanced down Kara’s sleeping form, eyes tracing over her small breasts contained in a tight bra, her defined abdominal muscles, to the compression shorts she wore and the bulge in the front. If Kara was anything like Lena’s past lovers, it would be easy to convince her. All Lena had to do was slip her hand down…

“You’re thinking too loud.”

Lena’s gaze jerked up, but thankfully Kara’s eyes were still closed, so she was unaware that Lena had been staring at her crotch. Her eyelashes fluttered as she yawned and tensed her body. Then her eyes flew open as she realized how close she was to Lena.

“Oh, Rao, Lena, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize!” she exclaimed as she tried to squirm away, but Lena’s limbs were as firmly wrapped around Kara as Kara’s were around Lena.

“It’s okay, Kara, really,” Lena assured her. “We’re both in the middle of the bed, so I must’ve moved toward you in my sleep, too. And it’s… It’s nice.”

“Yeah?” Kara said wondrously.

“Yeah,” Lena said, snuggling back into the Kryptonian’s warmth. “Don’t you think so?”

Kara sighed and ran her hand up and down Lena’s spine. “Yeah, really nice.”

Lena moved her hand as well, down Kara’s torso to her abs. Kara tensed as Lena began tracing the muscles there, but she didn’t stop her, even as Lena saw a twitch in her shorts.

 _Oh_.

“Kara?”

“Y— Yeah?” Kara stammered.

“I want you,” Lena said, her words little more than hot air against the Alpha’s collarbone.

“Want me to what?” Kara asked.

“I want you to mate with me,” Lena told her.

The sound that ripped from Kara’s throat wasn’t entirely human. Before Lena could process it, Kara had flipped them so that Lena was on her back and Kara was hovering above her. Kara’s lips trailed over the place where her neck met her shoulder, and the hand she wasn’t using to hold herself up skimmed up and down Lena’s side, tracing her form beneath the covers. Kara’s hips flexed into Lena’s, and the motion sent a vile reminder of the night before through Lena’s system, but she ignored it. This was Kara, and she had asked for this, needed it. If she didn’t do this…

Kara froze and huffed against Lena’s neck for a long moment before pushing herself up on her arms and looking down at Lena. She reached up and cupped Lena’s cheek in her hand.

“I want you so much, Lena,” she said, bending her neck so that she could press a soft kiss to Lena’s forehead. “But not now.”

Lena’s whole body seized in surprise. “What? But you told me you would mate with me if I asked.”

“I told you I wouldn’t mate with you until you asked,” Kara said softly. “And I’ll uphold that promise. But you’ve been through an ordeal, Lena. If you still want me when you’ve had some time to recover…”

“I don’t want time to recover!” Lena exclaimed. “I need you to mate with me now!”

Kara’s brow crinkled as she looked down at her. She pushed herself roughly back and looked down at Lena.

“Why do you suddenly want to mate with me, Lena?” she demanded, her voice hard.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Lena asked. “The only reason Ty-Vel tried to… The only reason he did what he did is because of my pheromones. If I’m mated to you then I won’t be releasing these pheromones to drive the crew crazy. Isn’t that how it works?”

Kara growled furiously and rose from the bed. “Yes, that’s how it works.”

“Then do it!” Lena said, sitting up.

“I’m not mating with you just so you’ll stop putting out pheromones, Lena,” Kara told her, picking her uniform up off the floor.

“But why not?” Lena demanded. “Isn’t that what you want?”

“No, that’s not… No!” Kara exclaimed. “No, that’s not what I want at all! I don’t want you to mate with me just because you don’t feel like you have a choice!”

“But I thought…” Lena fisted her sheets in the covers in confusion as Kara yanked on her uniform. “You don’t make any sense, Kara. You kept me in your room for two days and made me think I didn’t have a choice but to take you as a mate, but at the same time you said you wanted me to ask you. Now I’m asking you and you’re refusing.”

“I want you to choose me!” Kara shouted, looking back at Lena with damp eyes. “ _Rao_ I— I made terrible mistakes at first, Lena, and I’m sorry. But this whole time… I don’t want you to mate with me just because you don’t see any other choice. I want you to choose me. The way Andrea chose Russ-El and Lucy chose James. I don’t want you to choose me because of an obligation, I want you—“

“You want me to love you,” Lena whispered. Kara nodded and wiped at her eyes. “Kara, I’m not sure—“

“It’s fine,” Kara sniffed. “I understand if you can’t. But part of me still hopes that you might, someday.” She wiped her cheeks again, then stood up straighter. “But I’m not going to mate with you just to stop you from producing these pheromones. If that’s all you want in a mate, you can find another Alpha. I’m sure there are plenty of them on the ship who would take the offer.”

“Kara—“ Lena began.

“I have duties that I have to report to,” the Alpha said, and then she turned and disappeared through the door before Lena could speak again.

——

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me to breakfast?”

Lena looked up from her tablet to where Andrea was standing in the doorway. The medication Alex had given Lena to help her sleep was so strong that she didn’t wake up with the rising lights every morning, and was often a bit lightheaded once she did regain consciousness. For the last four days Andrea had come to her room to wake her and stayed while Lena showered and dressed for the day. It was bittersweet— as much as Lena enjoyed spending time with her friend, she hated the reason behind it.

“No, I’m fine here,” Lena replied. “Kelex will bring me breakfast in a little while.”

“Well, when you’re finished eating, you could come see me in the lab,” Andrea proposed. “I could use another sharp mind, not to mention another pair of hands.”

“Andy,” Lena sighed. “I’m fine. I have a lot to do here.”

Lena could practically hear the anxious thoughts running through her friend’s mind.

“Lena you can’t seclude yourself forever,” she said finally. “What happened with Ty Vel was not your fault.”

“I know it wasn’t,” Lena said quickly. “You’ve said it before, you and Russ and Alex and Astra and Lucy and James and Kara. And I know that, I do. But that doesn’t change the fact that a man might be facing the death penalty because of some crazy biological response that _I_ triggered.”

Andrea sighed. “Alright. Just… If you change your mind, send word to me and I’ll come and accompany you to the lab, or anywhere else you want to go on the ship.”

Lena nodded in agreement, but she had no intention of leaving the room. The door slid closed behind Andrea with a hiss, and Lena turned her focus to the tablet in her hands.

She had work to do.

Time passed strangely when Lena worked alone. Sometimes she felt as if hours had passed when she had really only been at it a few minutes, other times time flew by and before she knew it a service robot was bringing her next meal. Today was the latter. At some point Kelex delivered her lunch, which Lena barely picked at, but other than that she was left to her work and mostly unaware of the passage of time.

So she wasn’t sure how much time had passed when a robotic voice announced, “Kara El requests entry.”

Lena looked up from the tablet. She hadn’t see Kara since the morning after Ty-Vel assaulted her. Her own actions from that morning embarrassed her, and for a long moment she contemplated not answering at all, and hoped that the Kryptonian would just go away.

“Kara El requests entry,” the robotic voice said again, and Lena closed the program on her tablet and tucked it safely beneath her pillow before going to the door.

“Kara,” she said, standing in the open doorway instead of allowing the Alpha into her room. “Can I help you?”

Kara shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. “Lena… Hi. How are you?”

Lena was so tired of that question. Andrea asked her multiple times a day, and her response was always a lie. “Hi. Did you need me for something?”

Kara stopped her shifting and stood straight. “Right. General Astra has requested your presence in the ship’s detention cells.”

Lena’s pulse quickened. “Isn’t that where Ty Vel is being held?”

Kara nodded. “That’s why you’re being summoned there.”

“And if I refuse?” Lena asked.

Kara bit her lip. “I don’t recommend refusing my aunt, Lena. I’ll be with you the entire time. I won’t let him hurt you.”

Lena paused for a long moment, steeling herself. “Alright then.”

She followed Kara through the ship’s corridors, and an awkward, heavy silence hung between them.

“Kara… Kara I need to apologize,” Lena said finally.

“It’s fine,” Kara said brusquely, not meeting Lena’s gaze.

“No, it’s not,” Lena argued. “I didn’t mean to hurt you when I, well… You know. And I’m sorry that I did. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

“I understand that,” Kara said as they stopped in front of the lift that would take them down to the holding cells. “It’s alright, Lena. I forgive you.”

Lena signed. “Thank you.”

When they stepped into the lift, the air felt lighter somehow.

“I’ve been wanting to ask,” Lena said. “How did you fight off Ty Vel?”

Kara’s eyes widened in surprise. “I just… I mean, I’m trained in combat…”

“No, it was more than that,” Lena said succinctly. “Ty-Vel is twice your size, Kara. He overpowered me easily. But you ripped him off of me and threw him across the room like he was nothing. And last week, when you were jealous of me spending time with Doan Ro, you bent a metal table.”

Kara leaned against the side of the lift. “It’s because I’m an Alpha, Lena.”

“Ty is also an Alpha, and so are Russ and Doan and I don’t see them bending metal or fighting off people larger than them.”

“You’re very perceptive,” Kara commented, looking down at her feet as the lift came to a stop. “I’m not… Some Alphas are stronger than others, even if they don’t look it. Often it’s hereditary. The ruling line of the House of El are exceptionally strong Alphas. It’s how my ancestors came to power, centuries ago. But they kept it by being fair leaders and also by making scientific advancements that helped our people. A leader had to be more than strong, they also had to be intelligent and fair— at least, that’s what my father taught me.”

Kara stepped off of the lift and Lena followed her.

“Is that why Astra says you have so much more discipline than other Alphas?” Lena asked.

“To control my strength, the more primal side of me, yes,” Kara nodded. “It got me in trouble a lot, when I came of age, but thankfully someone stepped in and helped me learn control. I hope you’ll meet him when we get to Argo.”

Lena had to bite her tongue at that comment, but suddenly they were there— in a hallway lined with reinforced cells, each with only a small panel to see the person inside. Astra was standing outside the furthest cell, beside another tall, blonde Alpha, and as they drew closer, Lena could see Ty Vel’s form through the panel. He didn’t look like himself— his long hair was matted with his own dried blood, his face was swollen and covered with bruises in various shades of black and purple, the sclera of his left eye was red, and his brow and lip were also split and scabbed over. More than that, though, he wasn’t the huge intimidating Alpha that had intruded into Lena’s quarters. He looked small, through the panel, sunken in on himself.

“Miss Luthor, this is Ava of House Sharp, head of our security,” Astra said, gesturing to the blonde Alpha beside her.

“Miss Luthor,” Ava said, inclining her head respectfully. “Captain.”

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve summoned you here,” Astra continued, ignoring the introductions. She didn’t waste time in pleasantries, or in asking how Lena was— for which she was grateful. “As you know, the crew on this ship is deliberately small because living space is tight in order to save space for the human women who will be coming aboard in just a few weeks. Ty Vel’s position maintaining the ship’s breathable air is vital to the health of everyone on the vessel.”

“You want to release him,” Lena concluded.

“Only with your permission,” Ava assured her.

“He will still be held accountable for his actions,” Astra told her. “Much like my niece, when we arrive back on Argo he will be tried by the Council. But until then, he has a job to do, and I need him doing it.”

“Why did you want me to come here? As a warning?” Lena asked. “Surely as general you don’t actually need my permission to release him.”

“I wanted you to see that he’s no longer in rut,” Astra explained. “Since he’s gone through his cycle, it will be several months before such a thing affects him again, and at that time we will be on Argo and you will no longer be in his presence.”

Lena weighed Astra’s words in her mind. She stepped closer to the access panel— and she could feel Kara step closer behind her. She leveled Ty with a stony gaze.

“Can you hear me?” she asked.

“Yes L— Miss Luthor,” Ty said, his voice rough. “I’m so sorry, Lena, I—“

“Do you know what you’ve done, Ty?” Lena demanded. “I can’t sleep without medication. I tried to scrub the skin off my bones to get your touch off me. Sometimes when I sit in my room I still smell you and it makes me vomit.”

Ty dropped his head in shame. “I’m so sorry Lena. If I could go back and change things, I would put myself in this cell before it got so bad. I’ve never had a rut like that, never lost control. I swear to you, when I’m not under the influence of my rut hormones, I’m not like that.”

“And you’re not like that anymore?” Lena asked.

“No!” he exclaimed. “My head is clear now. Before it was like all I could think of was you and your scent. I knew what I was doing was wrong, knew that you didn’t want it, but I just couldn’t stop. It’s like my body just kept going after what it wanted and I couldn’t stop it.”

“So you don’t want me now?” Lena asked.

Ty looked at his feet. “I won’t lie to you, Lena. I’m attracted to you, even without my rut. And your Omega pheromones call to the Alpha inside me. But free from my rut I can control myself. My actions were shameful, and I will always regret hurting you. I would rather die than do it again.”

“Believe me, if you ever touch her again, I will see to it that you do,” Kara growled over Lena’s shoulder.

“Kara!” Lena exclaimed, but Ty only nodded.

“Please do, Kara El,” he said.

“Nobody’s killing anyone, nobody’s dying because of me,” Lena said with a huff. “It’s fine, General Astra. Ava, release Ty Vel to do his job. I trust that he’s back to normal.”

She stepped back from the door, almost bumping into Kara as she went. Ava placed her hand against the door’s surface and it slid open. Ty stepped out into the hallway on shaky legs. Before anyone could move he took one long stride toward Lena and dropped to his knees.

“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Lena,” he said, bowing his head. “I do not deserve to be kneeling at your feet. I deserve to be dead, but you stayed Kara El’s hand. You have shown me mercy that I do not deserve. I owe a debt to you, Lena Luthor. And if there is anything that I can do for you, now or in the future, I will.”

Lena looked at Ty with wide eyes. This was not the same Alpha that had pinned her to her bed. This man was something else entirely.

“I don’t understand what you experienced, Ty,” she said softly. “But I do believe that you had no control over your actions. You think that you do not deserve forgiveness, but I forgive you anyway.”

Ty looked up sharply. “Thank you, Lena.”

“Come, Ty Vel, we should get you cleaned up and back to your duties,” General Astra said, pulling the younger Alpha up by the arm. “Kara, escort Miss Luthor back to her room and then get back to your own responsibilities.”

“Yes, General,” Kara said, her voice inexplicably shaky. She turned away quickly, so quickly that Lena had to almost run to keep up.

Kara was silent in the lift, but Lena could almost feel the discomfort rolling off of her in waves. She studied the Kryptonian, but Kara refused to look at her, staunchly focused on the tops of her boots. When the lift doors slid open, she hurried away, and Lena almost stumbled over her feet to keep up.

“Kara, slow down!” Lena huffed. “Kara, if you’re supposed to be escorting me, shouldn’t you be walking at the same pace as me? Kara?”

The Kryptonian stopped so suddenly that Lena bumped into her back, only then realizing they were standing outside Lena’s room.

“Shit, Kara, where’s the fire?” she asked, smoothing down her shirt where she had bumped into Kara.

“What fire?” Kara asked. Her tone was confused, but there was something else. Lena tugged her arm until she turned to face her.

“Kara, why are you crying?” she asked.

“‘M not,” Kara denied, even as she reached up and wiped her face with her sleeve. She sniffled and stood up straighter. “You should go, get back to whatever you were doing.”

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong,” Lena said. She noticed two other Alphas walking by at the end of the hall and looking their way, eyes widening when they saw Kara. She knew Kara would hate for others to see her this emotional, so she opened the door to her quarters and tugged Kara inside. “Now tell me what’s gotten into you?”

“It’s none of your business,” Kara said gruffly.

“Kara,” Lena pushed.

“You forgave him!” Kara exclaimed angrily. “How could you forgive him after what he did to you?”

Lena’s eyes widened at Kara’s outburst. “Kara, he wasn’t in his right mind…”

Kara snorted. “He’s weak. He should have more control over himself.”

“Well, not everyone can be you, Kara,” Lena huffed. “And it’s my choice whom I forgive and whom I don’t.”

Kara swallowed hard. “I guess that’s it then. He’s not me.”

Now Lena was confused. “What do you mean?”

“You can forgive him for doing such a horrible thing, but you cannot forgive me for what I did,” Kara cried. “I understand. I cannot forgive myself either. But for some reason some foolish part of me had held out hope that you might forgive me, somehow, someday.”

Lena’s shoulders slumped and she sat on the edge of her bed with a huff. “Oh, Kara.”

“I should go,” Kara said. “I shouldn’t bother you with this…”

“Kara, sit down,” Lena said, her voice firm and brokering no argument. Kara’s eyes widened, but she obeyed the command, sitting perched on the edge of Lena’s bed just inches away, body tense as if she might stand and run at any moment. Lena reached out and grabbed her hand, both to center herself and to keep her from running away.

“I want you to listen to me, because I should’ve said this before, should’ve said it the moment I realized it myself. What you did to me, it wasn’t right. You invaded my privacy, took me from my home, you changed my DNA, all without my consent. But I understand that you did it to save my life, you did it for a good reason.” Lena took a deep breath. “I still don’t understand why you felt like you needed to save me, why you gambled your chance at having a mate on me when you only knew me from articles and newsreels. But I’m glad you did. I’m grateful to be alive. I still wish I could go home, but you’re not the one keeping me from that, that’s the human government. And I was angry— I’m still angry— at that, but I’m not angry at you, okay? Kara, I forgive you for what you did. I forgive you.”

Tears filled Kara’s eyes and she fell against Lena. She buried her face in the shoulder of Lena’s blouse and Lena stroked up and down her back.

“Thank you,” Kara chanted. “Thank you, thank you, thank you…”

“Shh,” Lena said. “It’s okay, Kara. We’re okay.”

Kara pulled away finally, eyes red. She reached up and rubbed at her cheeks and sniffled.

“You probably think I’m a terribly weak Alpha, crying on you all the time,” she said.

“Not at all,” Lena told her. “Honestly, it makes you a lot more human.”

Kara smiled meekly, and Lena smiled back in return.

“I should go,” Kara said, standing. “I really should go. Astra is already going to have my head for being away from my duties for this long.”

“If you’re sure,” Lena agreed.

“I’m sure,” Kara said, rocking onto the toes of her shoes and then back onto her heels. “I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I feel like I could fly.”

Lena chuckled. “Maybe not on the ship, silly Alpha.”

Kara beamed. “I’ll, um, see you at dinner, maybe?”

“I’ll see you at dinner,” Lena replied, and Kara hurried from the room.

Lena shook her head at the Kryptonian before making her way back to the bed. She pulled the tablet out from beneath her pillow and opened up the program she had been working on before. She had barely gotten it open when a robotic voice called out again.

“Kara El requests entry,” it said.

“Allow her in,” Lena said, brows furrowed in confusion. Kara strode through the door as soon as it slid open, her steps determined. “Kara, what—“

“Would you like to court me?” Kara asked.

Lena blinked in surprise. “What?”

“I mean, um…” Kara looked down at her boots shyly. “I don’t know how to do this. On Krypton, my parents would’ve approached your parents to ask permission for me to court you. But since they’re gone. I um… I was wondering if you would do me the honor of allowing me to court you?”

“What does that mean?” Lena asked as she rubbed her suddenly sweaty palms against her pants.

“I think on Earth you would call it dating,” Kara said awkwardly. “Basically it means we would do things together and get to know one another as potential mates. Because you were right, before. I don’t really know you. I know _about_ you, but I don’t know the real you. And I really, really want to know you, Lena Luthor. And if you’d do me the honor, I’d like the chance to learn more about you, and for you to get to know me. And if in the end you decide that I’m not your choice, I won’t pressure you, I won’t hold it against you. I’m just asking for a chance to see if maybe we could be happy together.”

Lena could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She looked at Kara, her blonde hair escaping from the loose braid it was held in, blue eyes still slightly red from crying earlier. She glanced toward the tablet where it lay on her bed, then down at her feet. The Kryptonian Alpha was giving her a choice, making one more gamble, placing her chance at happiness in Lena’s hands.

She could give her a chance.

“I agree, Lady Kara of House El,” she said finally, looking up. “I would be honored to court you.”

Kara’s resulting smile was as bright as any sun, and in spite of her reservations, Lena found herself smiling just as widely. Kara stepped toward Lena, arms outstretched as if she wanted to hug her, then stopped as if she thought better of it. She stood straight, still smiling.

“After dinner tonight, would you accompany me on a walk through the conservatory?” Kara asked.

Lena nodded. “I would love to.”

“Great,” Kara replied. “I’ll… I’ll see you at dinner, then.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, Kara,” Lena agreed.

“Okay,” Kara said, shuffling toward the door. She raised her hand awkwardly as she stepped out. “Bye!”

“Goodbye,” Lena said as the door slid closed.

The rooms were thickly soundproofed, but Lena was pretty certain that she heard a victoriously shouted _“Yes!”_ from the hallway.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara’s first date.

An angry Andrea Rojas was a dangerous thing. An angry _pregnant_ Andrea Rojas was terrifying.

“I can’t believe they released him!” she exclaimed for at least the fifth time as they made their way through the dinner line. She was ignoring her own plate— Russ was scooping things onto the tray in her hand as they went.

“I told you, Andrea, I told Astra that she could. I forgave him,” Lena said as she spooned a small scoop of Andrea’s favorite fruit onto her friend’s tray. Russ shot her a look of gratitude.

“ _You_ might’ve forgiven him, but _I_ have not,” Andrea huffed, turning to go to their usual table. “I’ve watched you since he attacked you, Lena. I watched you scrub your skin raw in the shower and break down sobbing. You’re not sleeping. You look over your shoulder constantly. I’m not about to forgive him for what he’s done to you.”

She launched into a tirade, slipping between English and Spanish the way she always did when she was exceptionally pissed off. Lena partly understood what Andrea was saying, with her rudimentary knowledge of Spanish, only because it consisted heavily of curse words that Andrea had taught her when they were teenagers. Apparently Russ understood as well because his eyes grew large as Andrea detailed exactly what she would do to Ty Vel’s manhood while simultaneously slicing into a sausage on her plate.

“And we’re not even going to talk about what I’d do to Kara!” Andrea concluded.

Lena almost choked on her drink. She hadn’t told Andrea and Russ about Kara’s proposal to court her yet— hadn’t been able to get a word in edgewise with Andrea ranting about Ty Vel. Thankfully, Kara didn’t appear to be eating in the dining hall this evening, so the matter wasn’t pressing quite yet.

“Andrea, _i zhao_ , you must relax,” Russ said. “Think of the little one.”

Andrea sighed, rubbing the side of her stomach lovingly. “I’m sorry, my love. You’re right.”

Lena’s attention, however, was on what Russ had called his mate. “What does that mean?”

“Hmm?” the Kryptonian hummed questioningly.

“What you called Andrea,” Lena clarified. “Kara called me that, a couple of times.”

Andrea rolled her eyes.

“Oh,” Russ said, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “ _I zhao_ is a term of endearment. It means _my love_.”

“Presumptuous,” Andrea muttered, and Russ turned to her with wide eyes. “Not you, silly. I meant Kara.”

“Yes, she is that,” he agreed.

“Speaking of Kara,” Lena said, drawing in a deep breath. “ _SheaskedtocourtmeandIsaidyes_.”

Andrea and Russ both stared at her with wide eyes, until Andrea blinked slowly, processing the information.

“I’m sorry, did you say she asked to court you?” she asked slowly.

Lena nodded.

“And you said yes?”

Lena nodded again, biting her lip.

Russ reached up and rubbed his temples.

“That’s what I thought you said,” Andrea said, her voice still slow. “Lena, what the actual fuck?”

“I just… Look, I know it might not make sense to you, but I’ve forgiven her for bringing me here,” Lena told her. When Andrea opened her mouth to argue, Lena held up her hand to stop her. “I know, it was wrong, but she did it to save my life.”

Russ spoke up. “You don’t owe her a chance just because she saved your life.”

“I know that,” Lena assured him. “And I also don’t owe her a chance just because she used her special vial to save me— Yes, Alex told me about those, as well. I didn’t agree because I feel some obligation or debt to her, believe me.”

“Then why did you say yes?” Andrea asked.

“Because I wanted to!” Lena declared. “Because even after what she did to me and even though she seems hot-headed and prideful, she’s also been kind and sweet and… I don’t know, there’s just something about her…”

“You know her pheromones can affect you?” Andrea pointed out. “Because she used her DNA to modify yours, her pheromones are especially powerful toward you. That might be what’s attracting you to her.”

“The only time I’ve noticed her using her scent is when I was upset after what Ty-Vel did,” Lena said. “It’s not that. It’s not something she’s doing. It’s just… her, Andy. I mean, yes, she’s physically attractive, my god, but it’s something else. Like when she’s upset, I just want to do anything in my power to make it better. And I know from my readings and from talking to you that it’s supposed to be the other way around, that an Alpha is supposed to protect the Omega and all that, but with her, I just want to protect her and make sure she isn’t hurt.”

Andrea and Russ stared at her for a long moment, Andrea in apparent shock and Russ in contemplation. It was the Kryptonian who spoke first, reaching across the table to place his hand gently on Lena’s arm. It surprised Lena— the Alpha had never actually touched her before.

“Lena, your readings are correct but incomplete,” he said with a slight smile. “Because we are stronger, it is usually an Alpha’s place to physically protect our Omegas. But often, it is the Omega that protects the Alpha’s heart even more fiercely.”

Lena swallowed hard. “Yes… Yes, that’s it exactly.”

Russ leaned back and shook his head. “I won’t deny, it could complicate things. Kara will still stand trial for her actions when we return to Argo, whether you forgive her or not. But I also cannot begrudge you the chance to be happy, and if she would make you happy…”

“I thought you didn’t like Kara El?” Andrea asked suddenly, looking to her mate.

Russ shrugged. “I had not served under her before this mission. I had heard things— that she only became a captain because her aunt is a general, that she has favor with her cousin in court. And I remembered her from our childhood before the virus hit— she was always a bit spoiled, you understand, and proud, as you say. And when I first heard of what she had done to Lena, I assumed the worst of her. But after learning why she did what she did, and after my time serving under her and speaking to other crew members who have served with her in the past, I’m beginning to think that my impressions may have been incorrect.”

Andrea sighed, looking back at Lena with anxious eyes. “Are you sure about this?”

“Andy,” Lena said, reaching across the table for her friend’s hand. “Trust me, okay? I’m just giving her a chance, and I think that’s fair. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But if it does… Maybe we could be happy?”

“I just want you to be as happy as I am,” Andrea told, her eyes filling with tears. Russ put his arm around his mate and pulled her into his side.

Lena quickly moved around the table and wrapped Andrea in a hug from the opposite direction. “I know you do. And I love you so, so much for that.”

“Hey, is everything okay?”

Lena’s head shot up at the sound of Kara’s voice. She meant to tell her that _yes, everything’s fine_ , but then her voice got caught in her throat.

Lena had never seen Kara wear anything other than her uniform and sleep clothes. But the Kara in front of her was wearing a blue and white striped off-the-shoulder blouse that showed her strong shoulders and arms off to their fullest potential. She wore sharp white trousers that hugged her figure. Her hair was pulled back, with loose tendrils framing her face, and her lips were tinted bright red.

“Uh— Hi,” Lena said, voice caught in her throat.

“Hi.” Kara blushed. Clearly Lena hadn’t been very subtle in her ogling.

“Oh, wow, now I see it,” Andrea said, her voice still raspy from her emotional outburst. She looked up at Kara and cleared her throat. “Everything’s fine, Captain. Just pregnancy hormones getting the best of me.”

“Oh, that’s good. I mean, not good, that they’re making you cry, but just…”

Andrea waved her hand dismissively. “It comes with the territory. Growing another person is definitely not for the faint of heart.”

Kara shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, looking between Russ and Andrea and Lena.

“I’ve finished eating, if you’d like to go?” Lena asked. Kara nodded rapidly. Lena stood, then turned to Andrea and Russ. “Kara’s going to show me the conservatory.”

“That sounds lovely,” Russ said quickly. “Don’t you agree, Andrea?”

“Mmhmm, very romantic,” Andrea said, looking between the two of them. “I’ll wait up for you.”

“There’s no need for that,” Lena frowned.

“I know there’s no need, but I’m going to do it anyway, so don’t bother arguing,” Andrea told her, in a tone that let Lena know that that was the end of it. “Oh, and Kara?”

“Yes?” Kara replied.

“If you hurt her, I’ll cut off your cock and feed it to you,” Andrea said, sticking her fork into what was left of the sausage on her plate.

Kara’s eyes went wide as saucers and her mouth opened and closed like a fish as her hands moved instinctively to cover herself.

Lena rolled her eyes. “And on that note, let’s get out of here.”

She grabbed Kara’s arm and pulled her away from the table and out of the dining hall.

“I’m sorry about her,” Lena said as they walked through the hallway and got into a lift. “I would say she’ll get better once you get to know her, but she’s always been like that.”

“No, it’s fine,” Kara assured her. “Honestly. I’m glad you have a friend like that. Besides, if I hurt you, I deserve whatever punishment she deems appropriate.”

“God, don’t tell her that, it’ll go to her head,” she said.

Kara chuckled. “How long have you known Andrea?”

“We met when we were sixteen,” Lena replied. “We were in boarding school, both from old business families. We would watch movies on repeat and eat far too much chocolate and drink thousand dollar scotch Andrea stole from her father’s alcohol cabinet on holidays. I was a little in love with her, I think, in a comfortable sort of way. But she’s hopelessly straight, so that would’ve never worked out.”

“Oh,” Kara said, eyes widening with surprise.

Lena raised a brow. “Jealous?”

“No,” Kara said with a shrug. “Why would I be? She’s happily mated to Russ and you… Well, you’re here with me now.”

“Yes, I am,” Lena said with a soft smile.

They had made it to the conservatory, and Kara pressed her hand against the massive doorway to allow them into the space.

The conservatory felt like some kind of massive indoor park, yet, as Kara explained, it was central to keeping the ship running. It provided part of the air purification the ship needed, waste management through composting, and supplied foods that were vital to the occupants’ well-being but would take up excessive amounts of space to store and rot before the end of the journey. With some genetic modification and environmental tweaking, all of the plants were designed to grow and yield fruit and veggies year-round. Several stock tanks also make up part of the conservatory, providing both aquatic plants and aquatic creatures for food.

“This is incredible,” Lena said in awe as they looked around. She spotted a small playground off to one side and grinned, stepping toward the swings.

“The workers here do incredible things to keep us healthy,” Kara told her, watching from a distance as Lena gingerly sat on one of the swings.

“What color do they wear?” Lena asked. She had noticed that the color uniforms workers wore corresponded with their stations on the ship, but she still wasn’t sure what each of them represented. Kara, Astra and Russ wore blue, as they were officers on the ship. Alex wore black, as did the other workers in the medbay. Those in mechanical or scientific positions wore gray, like James and Doan and Ty, and they were the most common on the ship.

“Their uniforms are dark green,” Kara replied.

“And the tan uniforms?” Lena asked.

“They cook for us,” Kara told her.

“What about white? There aren’t as many of them.”

“They have the most important position,” Kara said grandly.

Lena’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I thought you and Astra had the most important positions?”

Kara chuckled. “We have the most authority, but we aren’t the most important. The workers in white care for the children on board. They educate them, and care for them while their parents are working. They shape the future of our species, so they are the most important.”

Lena smiled softly at that. “You’re right, they are.”

“Lena…” Kara hesitated, biting her lip. She sat on the swing beside Lena and looked at her lap.

“What is it?”

Kara shook her head. “It’s nothing. This is our first date, I should keep it casual, right?”

“You can ask me whatever you want to ask, Kara,” Lena assured her. “As long as I get the same privilege in return.”

“Oh, of course you do!” Kara said. “It’s just, well… Do you want pups? Children, I mean?”

Lena looked away and gripped the chains on the swing tightly. The lights were beginning to fade as their cycle passed into night. After a moment, she looked back toward Kara. “Would you be upset if I said that I didn’t?”

Kara’s face fell a bit, but she shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t be upset. Disappointed, perhaps, but not upset. It’s your body and your choice, after all.”

“But you want children?” Lena asked.

“I… I don’t know,” Kara said honestly. “My biology compels me to want to reproduce, to continue my species and my line. It’s stronger than what humans feel. But, honestly, I never imagined I would have a mate, let alone pups of my own.”

“Why not?”

Kara sighed and leaned her head against where her hand gripped the chain. “Well… When I was very small, my uncle’s wife had a baby. I remember holding him and thinking how wonderful he was, how tiny and precious. I remember how proud my uncle was to be a sire, how such a strong, ferocious Alpha was so tender with his son. I wanted that, someday, for myself.” Her expression changed, turning to a frown. “Then the virus came. Reality set in. I thought I would never have the opportunity to have a family. I was twelve years old and had just lost my mother and father, and I also had to accept that I would never have a family of my own.”

“I’m so sorry, Kara,” Lena said genuinely. She wanted to reach out, to comfort the Alpha, but instead she gripped the chains on the swing harder. “But when they announced the Collection you were, what? Twenty? Didn’t that give you hope that you might have all that?”

“ _Rao_ , no!” Kara exclaimed. She stood up from the swing abruptly, leaving the seat rattling behind her. “When I heard about the Collection I was so angry. I vowed that I would never take a mate who had been forced to leave her home. How could someone like that ever love a Kryptonian?”

“And yet here we are,” Lena said softly.

Kara turned to her with shame on her face. “Yes, here we are. And I still don’t know how you’re sitting here with me without hating me. I know I do. I hate myself for what I did to you, what I took from you.”

“Kara, listen to me,” Lena said, standing and taking Kara by the hand. “I’ve forgiven you. Now I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything,” Kara said softly, looking at Lena with desperate eyes.

Lena squeezed her hand. “I need you to forgive yourself.”

Kara blinked hard, and Lena could see a hint of wetness in the dim light. “I will try.”

“Good,” Lena said with a smile. She reached up and stroked Kara’s cheek. The Kryptonian’s skin was so smooth beneath her fingers, and soft. Kara opened her eyes and for a moment, Lena thought of how easy it would be to stand up on her tiptoes and press her lips against the Alpha’s…

Suddenly a bright streak of light pulled Lena’s attention from her thoughts. She backed away from Kara, looking around with wide eyes.

“ _Bioluminescence_ ,” she muttered, and Kara nodded in confirmation.

All around them, plants were glowing. The trunk of the tree closest to them lit up with green uneven vertical stripes. Small flowers lining the walk opened up and glowed white and yellow. A vine twisted up a trellis near the ponds and its berries lit up pink and purple while its leaves emitted a soft green hue. Lena knew it was science, chemistry and biology at the root of it all, but that didn’t make the effect any less magical.

Suddenly a faint buzzing sound erupted from the blowing green tree and a swarm of insects began flying out of its branches. They lit up pale blue as they flew through the air, dancing around each other as they flew on pale wings from plant to plant. One circled them and landed on Kara’s bare shoulder, looking like a very large dragonfly, and its pale glowing wings fluttered against her tan skin.

“They’re harmless unless you attack the hive,” Kara explained, reaching up to stroke the insect’s thorax which, Lena realized, was actually covered in fine violet hair. “They collect pollen on their bodies and bring it back to the hive. It makes the sap of the tree sweeter, which we collect for food. And when the insects die we grind their wings to create a medication that treats a breathing disease we sometimes contract on Argo.”

The bug fluttered its wings one last time before taking off into the air. Lena watched it go, as it circled through the air toward the plants.

“They’re like bees but also like fireflies,” Lena surmised. “I wish I had a jar.”

Kara’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why do you need a jar?”

Lena gave her a bittersweet smile. “When I was little, we spent summers in a vacation home in the mountains. There was a huge field behind the house and every evening as it got dark it would light up with thousands of fireflies. Lex and I would get an old glass jar and cut holes in the top and I would catch as many fireflies as I could and Lex would put them in the jar so I could use it as a nightlight. Then we’d sneak back outside before breakfast and release them into the grass before Mother could catch us.”

“That sounds like fun.”

Lena shook her head. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear about Lex, after what he did to your people.”

“It’s fine, Lena, really,” Kara assured her. “You can talk to me about him, if you want. It sounds like he was a good brother.”

Lena sighed. “He was. I know it’s hard to imagine, considering what he did, but when he was young he was downright gentle. He was ten years older than me, so he was fourteen when I was adopted, but he never acted like he resented suddenly having a little sister. He made me feel welcome, made me feel proud to be a Luthor. We fought, of course, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed by a cookie snuck out of the kitchen. I miss the brother that he was, you know?”

“I know what it’s like to miss your family,” Kara agreed. “Of course, I can also empathize with Lex.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked, startled by this declaration.

“I remember watching his trial,” Kara replied. “They said he was scared of us, of Kryptonians, and how much more powerful we are than humans. He wanted to save more women from being Collected. I can understand that. It doesn’t justify the taking of life the way he did, but I can understand the fear.”

Lena scoffed. “Kara, let me tell you something about my brother. He wasn’t afraid of Kryptonians. And quite frankly, he couldn’t have cared less about the women that were taken, until someone he cared about was Collected. Then he was just angry.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “What?”

“My brother had a girlfriend named Lana— yeah, I know,” Lena told her. “They dated when they were in high school, broke up, got back together, broke up, over and over again. I always thought they would either end up marrying each other or killing each other, possibly both, that’s just how volatile their relationship was. Then Lana ended up working for Lex at LuthorCorp. Lex was talking about proposing. And then she was taken as part of the Collection.

“He never got over it. He couldn’t let it go. He became consumed with his anger at the Kryptonians. He started planning his attack on the Collection Bureau, and I went to the authorities. They weren’t able to stop him, but they were at least able to figure out that he was behind the attacks and charge him for his crimes.”

“I— Wow,” Kara breathed. “Part of me can still empathize, though. I mean, they took the woman he planned to make his mate.”

“Kara,” Lena said softly. “There’s something Lex didn’t know. Something I never told him. Lana wasn’t just Collected. She volunteered.”

“Why?” Kara exclaimed.

“She told me that my brother was obsessed with her, and it scared her,” Lena explained. “That every time they got back together she only agreed because she was intimidated by him, or afraid of what he would do. Lex… I don’t think he ever physically hurt her, but he controlled her, bullied her. He wasn’t a good man, even then, and I didn’t know anything about that side of him.”

Lena sat on the grass, looking out over the natural light show in front of them. “It confuses me, sometimes. That I can miss the brother that I had when we were young while also hating the man he became. But I do.”

Kara looked down at her and then sat on the ground by her side, seeming uncaring if her pants stained from the grass.

“My father was the best man I ever knew growing up,” she said softly. “Then he was arrested for war crimes during the war with the Daxamites. He did things that I would’ve never imagined my father would do. He brought shame to my family, so much so that after my mother died and he was imprisoned, none of my relatives wanted to adopt me. I grew up in the orphanage because of that.”

“I’m sorry…” Lena began.

“I’m not saying it to garner your pity,” Kara said, cutting her off. “I’m just saying, I understand the pain and the feeling of betrayal when someone you love does something you never imagined they could do. I understand how hard it is to love the person they once were but hate the person they became. And I know how lonely it feels, to think you’re the only one who feels those things. But you’re not alone, not anymore. I’m here, for as long as you want me to be.”

Lena stared at Kara for a long moment, watching her in soft colorful lights from the plants and bugs. Finally, she leaned against her, shoulder to shoulder.

“You’re not alone either, Kara.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chemistry

“Okay, so tell me again what happened?”

Lena rolled her eyes at Lucy’s teasing look. It was the same look Andrea had given her the night before when she had returned to her room from her third date with Kara. Andrea had stayed up waiting for Lena every night after her dates— “Just making sure you make it back to your room,” she teased— and grilled Lena for details. She was keeping her mind open toward Kara, she told Lena, as she helped her arrange the flowers Lena brought back from her first date. She even squealed in delight as Lena told her about their second date, watching a movie from Earth— Star Wars, appropriately enough— and how Kara had fallen asleep against Lena’s shoulder, only waking up as the Death Star exploded.

Then there was last night’s date, and that was why she was visiting Lucy.

“Well, Kara was telling me about how she met Alex,” Lena told her therapist-turned-friend. “She was telling me how some other children at the orphanage locked her in a closet, and how badly it scared her so that even now she’s claustrophobic. And I could tell that even thinking about it made her nervous. Then she started sniffing…”

That had been awkward, to put it lightly. Kara had turned into a humanoid bloodhound, sniffing the air with flared nostrils in search for an unfamiliar scent. Then she had turned toward Lena and abruptly buried her face in the bend of Lena’s neck, breathing in deep lungfuls of air.

“Apparently I started emitting calming pheromones,” Lena said, picking a miniscule speck of dirt from her skirt. “I didn’t even know I could do that.”

“It’s perfectly normal,” Lucy assured her. “All part of the omega genes that were added to your DNA. Sometimes we release them subconsciously, and other times we can control what kind of scent we emit in order to affect others.”

“Kara seemed to like my scent,” Lena muttered, blushing.

“I’ll bet,” Lucy laughed. “Since they used her genes to modify yours, your scents will call to each other. It’s how Kryptonians recognized a potential breeding partner, before the virus. If your scents attracted each other, you had a higher chance of conceiving healthy offspring.”

“I thought my scent was a homing beacon to all the unmated Alphas,” Lena grumbled.

“It is, but it smells _really good_ to Kara,” Lucy said, raising her eyebrows salaciously. Lena laughed and threw a pillow at her. “What did Kara say you smelled like?”

“Umm… she didn’t really say,” Lena blushed again, thinking back. Kara had been a little preoccupied, breathing her in like a drowning woman pulled ashore, and Lena had been preoccupied as well, trying to ignore her body’s response to the Alpha’s proximity. “We were, um, distracted…”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “Oh… _Oh_! So you were…”

“No, we didn’t do anything, but yes, I was, um, aroused.” Lena was sure she was turning a vivid shade of red. “And Kara could smell that, too, which was embarrassing as hell. But she was a complete gentlewoman about it. She was practically tripping over herself, apologizing for getting too close, you know how she is.”

“Yep, that’s our Kara,” Lucy giggled.

 _Our Kara_. The words echoed in Lena’s mind. The idea of Kara somehow being _hers_ sent warmth through her heart, and down to a point decidedly lower as well. They had only been on three “dates” in the last week and a half, though they also shared most meals together— “We shouldn’t spend every meal together, or every evening,” Kara had declared on their first date. “We both need time to ourselves, and time to spend with our other friends.”— but Lena found that her favorite evenings were the ones that she spent in Kara’s company, her favorite mornings were the ones where she awoke knowing they were planning to eat breakfast together. The Kryptonian Alpha was funny and sweet and just so damn charming that it was almost infuriating, how easy it was to fall for her.

“So, you want to learn how to control your pheromones,” Lucy surmised, pulling Lena from her thoughts.

Lena nodded. “Kara said you or Andrea could teach me, but right now Andrea’s hormonal on a good day, so she might not be the most in control.”

Lucy laughed. “Yes, that’s probably wise. It’s not difficult, really, just strange at first. It’s not natural to us, as humans, but it gets easier.”

“Okay then,” Lena said determinedly. “Teach me how to be an Omega.”

——

Lena smoothed down her skirt as she made her way through the halls of the ship’s quarters. She walked quickly, looking over her shoulder at every turn. She had avoided walking the halls alone since Ty Vel’s attempted assault, trying to avoid another such incident, but when Kara hadn’t arrived to escort her to dinner or replied to her message through the ship’s comm system, she had gotten worried. Andrea and Russ-El had already gone to dinner, and she didn’t want to disturb them, so she headed out on her own. Thankfully, the passages were empty, with everyone likely already in the dining hall.

When she arrived at the door to Kara’s quarters, Lena placed her hand against the smooth metal and was surprised when the door hissed open just seconds later. There was no announcement of her arrival, which was odd. The doors on the ship were programmed to read the handprint of whomever touched them and would either announce their presence so that the room’s occupant could allow them inside or, if the room was empty, tell the person outside that the occupant was not there. They only opened automatically, as this one had done, if the person was allowed into the room or resided there permanently. It made sense, Lena thought. Kara had probably never revoked her access to the room when she was put in her own quarters.

“Kara?” Lena called out as she stepped into the living room, but it was empty. She stepped further into the room, looking around, until her foot squelched against the floor. She looked down to see droplets a brown oily liquid trailing from the entrance of the room to the bedroom door. She followed the trail and stepped into the bedroom. “Kara?”

Kara’s uniform was thrown haphazardly into the corner of the room, and Lena could see that it was covered in the brown liquid that had dripped into the floor. A faintly metallic smell made her wrinkle her nose and she looked around again. “Kara?”

Suddenly the door to the bathroom slid open with a hiss and a cloud of steam. Lena blinked as the wet, hot air hit her, then opened her eyes and…

 _Oh_.

Kara was towel-drying her hair, arms stretched over her head, and completely naked. A very small and modest part of Lena’s brain told her to look away, to cover her eyes, to at least _say something_ so Kara would realize she was there, but that part of her brain was completely ignored in favor of the part of her brain that was completely in awe at the goddess in front of her.

Kara was beautiful, there was no other way to describe it. Her skin was that wonderful honey tan all over from head to toe with no tan lines, which made Lena wonder if she was just naturally tan or if she walked around in the sunlight naked on Argo, a mental image that did nothing to help her current situation. Her shoulders were broad and led to muscular arms, Lena knew that, but seeing them bare, the muscles contracting beneath the skin as Kara moved the towel over her head was much more gratifying than seeing them beneath her uniform everyday. Her breasts were small but proportionate to her frame, tipped with rosy pink nipples that hardened when the cool air of the bedroom hit them. Below that were abs, an actual defined six-pack, and Lena had the sudden urge to run her fingernails over them, to watch them contract as Kara gasped in reaction.

And of course below that…

A sound something between a squeak and a gasp escaped Lena’s lips and Kara immediately froze. She lowered the towel slowly, revealing blue eyes made only brighter in contrast to how dark her wet hair was. Those eyes widened in shock as she took in the situation.

“Lena—“ she said.

“I’ll just, um, _I’lljustwaitoutside_ ,” Lena said, stammering at first and then speaking far too quickly. She hurried back into the living area and sat on the couch with a huff, trying to get her pounding heart under control.

Kara had caught her ogling her.

She had been ogling Kara.

And she had seen…

She could practically feel the blood pooling in her cheeks yet again in a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. And now that her attention had been drawn to it, she could smell the scent coming off her in waves, spicy and floral, so similar to Kara’s but subtly different. She looked toward the ceiling, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath the way Lucy had taught her, focusing on controlling her errant thoughts and projecting waves of calm until the scent changed, becoming cleaner, with less spice, soothing.

When Kara finally stepped into the room, she froze, nostrils flaring to take in the new scent. Lena could see the set of her shoulders relax, the tension of her brow relax slightly, and felt a rush of pride that she could cause such a change in the Kryptonian.

“So, um, hi,” Kara said, blushing.

“Hi, yourself,” Lena replied, then silently cursed because her voice came out huskier than she intended. She had gotten her scent under control, but the rest of her body was a different matter.

“I’m sorry I missed taking you to dinner,” Kara apologized. “There was a clog in one of the engine rooms, and as soon as I went down to check on the progress the pressure blew and oil went everywhere. I had to shower. I should’ve sent word.”

“No, it’s fine,” Lena said. “I just came to check to make sure you were alright and, well, you were.”

“Yeah…” Kara’s voice trailed off, and Lena could practically see the cogs in her mind turning, debating whether or not she should address the elephant in the room.

“We should get going,” Lena said, standing abruptly. “Maybe if we hurry there will be a little something left to eat before we go do whatever you have planned.”

“Yeah, um, yeah, sounds good,” Kara replied. Her eyes widened as she looked down at Lena. “You look amazing, by the way.”

Lena blushed again— she was starting to get concerned that her face might turn permanently pink around Kara. She had chosen to take a page out of Kara’s book and wore a red off-shoulder sweater that showed off her décolletage to its fullest extent, and skinny jeans— or, at least, something similar in fit and style to jeans but made of an even softer material that Lena adored.

“Thank you,” she said. “You do, too. I like your clothes on— I mean, I like the clothes you have on! On you, they look good on you, not, I mean… Shit.”

Kara burst into loud guffaws as Lena tripped over her words, and under any other circumstances the joyous sound would’ve made Lena laugh along but she was currently too embarrassed. Kara did look good, with her still-damp hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head, dressed in her own tight jeans and a crisp white button up, but Lena didn’t mean to say it like _that_.

“Oh Rao, you’re so cute,” Kara finally said as she got her laughter under control.

“‘M not cute,” Lena muttered.

“Yes, you are,” Kara said, poking her playfully in the side. “I guess I don’t need to ask if you find me attractive.”

“Your looks are definitely a mark in your favor,” Lena admitted dryly. “Can we please go to dinner now and forget all about me sticking my foot in my mouth?”

Kara tilted her head in that way she did when Lena said something that confused her. “Foot in your mouth? Is that even physically possible.”

“It’s a figure of speech, Kara. Food. Now.”

“Right, yes, food, definitely! Let’s go!”

——

“Okay, so where are we going?”

Kara rolled her eyes at Lena’s question. They had gulped down their food quickly, with little talking between them, as Andrea eyed them suspiciously from across the room— Lena was _not_ looking forward to that interrogation when she returned to her room later that night. All throughout dinner Lena had asked her the same question over and over again, but she refused to answer.

“We’re almost there, be patient,” Kara told her as she led her down a hallway Lena hadn’t been down before. Finally she opened a door and led Lena into a room.

Lena looked around in confusion. The room’s ceiling was a dark dome, and below it were benches set in a circle, and what appeared to be prayer rugs scattered near the center of the room.

“Kara, are we in a church?” she asked.

“Sort of,” Kara said, leading Lena forward. In the center of the room was a box with what looked like a control panel on the side. “On Krypton, we worshiped our sun, Rao. Rao was the spark that gave us life, so it became our God, the center of our worship. Most of our religious practice involved regular meditation and prayers to Rao. This is a room devoted to that practice, to solace and meditation and finding peace within yourself.”

“Kara, I’m an atheist. Should I even be in here?” Lena asked. Her own experiences with religion, mostly forced attendance at holiday Mass with the Luthors, weren’t particularly fond.

“It doesn’t matter if you believe or not. You can still come here for quiet contemplation or meditation. A lot of humans come here for their own prayers to whatever gods they worship, and that’s okay with us,” Kara explained as she fiddled with the control panel. “Besides, that’s not actually why I brought you here.”

“Then why did you—“ Lena’s words were cut off as Kara pressed one more button on the panel and the device suddenly lit up with light. It projected onto the domed ceiling, showing sparkling white lights. Lena looked around in awe. “It’s a planetarium.”

Kara nodded. “We worship the sun, and I can program this to show you Rao and His light, if you want. I can show you the night sky over Krypton, and tell you about the different planets and the star stories I grew up hearing.”

“That sounds lovely,” Lena said with a soft smile. Kara bounced excitedly and reached for her hand.

They laid on their backs on the soft rugs in the center of the room, looking up at the projected sky above them, and Kara began. Lena lost track of time as she told her fantastical stories, a mixture of myth and reality. The history of Krypton was seeded with lore that involved their gods and other mythological figures.

In spite of herself, after a long while, Lena found herself yawning. The room was warm, and Kara’s side pressed against her own was even warmer.

“I’ve kept you out too late,” Kara said, chastising herself.

“No, it’s alright,” Lena told her. “I’ve just laid still for too long, that’s all. Besides, you’re the one who has to get up and be the ship’s captain tomorrow.”

“Eh, it’s worth being a bit tired tomorrow to spend time with you tonight,” Kara said, sliding her hand into Lena’s. “Is this alright?”

“Yes,” Lena replied honestly. “Can I ask you something? Where did you learn all of those stories?”

“The answer might surprise you,” Kara said with a bittersweet chuckle. “Aunt Astra taught me most of them.”

Kara was correct, Lena was surprised. “I find that hard to imagine.”

“She wasn’t always like she is now,” Kara said sadly. “She was always a warrior, but before the virus struck she would always make sure to come home. She had a mate, and a daughter that was younger than me. She would spend most of her time home with them, but she always made time to come see our family and spend time with me. We would go up on the roof of my family’s house and she would tell me about the planets she had visited, and then she would tell me the star stories. I remember telling her once that I wanted to explore space like her, and she just laughed and told me that my destiny lay on Krypton, that I would have a much more important role on our home planet.” Kara’s face twisted bitterly. “I suppose I got my wish, but I often wish that I hadn’t.”

“I wish she wasn’t so hard on you,” Lena admitted.

“She’s only like that because she wants me to be strong,” Kara shrugged. “My Aunt has seen a lot of things, lived through tragedies and pain that would’ve ruined a lesser person. I hate how it has hardened her, but I can also understand it.”

“It hasn’t hardened you,” Lena said softly.

“No, I guess not, and I think that worries her,” Kara replied. “She doesn’t think I’m strong enough to survive the way Krypton— well, Argo— is now.”

“I think you’re strong enough,” Lena told her honestly.

Kara sat up from the rug and flexed her arms. “Oh, you think I’m strong enough, huh?”

Lena rolled with laughter, reaching up to shove Kara’s shoulder with one hand. “You goof! That’s not what I meant.”

“I know, and I’m flattered that you think so much of me,” Kara said seriously.

“I do,” Lena murmured, looking up at Kara. “I do think so much of you. It scares me, sometimes, how much and how fast.”

Kara looked down at Lena with piercing eyes, illuminated from behind by the artificial starlight. She reached down and trailed her fingertips lightly down Lena’s cheek, down the side of her neck, over her sharp clavicles.

“Sit up,” she said abruptly. “I have something for you.”

“What?” Lena asked breathlessly, but she followed the instruction.

Kara reached into her pocket and pulled out a long silver chain— a necklace, Lena realized. A clear blue stone dangled from the end of it, and Kara cupped it in her other palm.

“This belonged to my mother,” she said softly. “My father gave it to her, when they entered into a courtship. I have a few things that belonged to them in my home on Argo, but this is the only thing I keep with me at all times, even when I’m on missions off planet.” She looked up at Lena. “I’d like you to have it.”

“I— Kara, you shouldn’t give me something that means so much to you,” Lena said, but Kara was already unfastening the clasp.

“It does mean a lot to me,” Kara said honestly. “But you mean a lot to me too, Lena.”

She reached around Lena’s neck and fastened the necklace, then carefully lifted Lena’s hair free from the chain. The blue stone sat in the center of Lena’s chest, and she reached for it, studying the pale stone. It was the exact shade of Kara’s eyes.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, looking up. “Thank you.”

“Thank you for giving me a chance, Lena,” Kara replied.

Lena thought, for a long moment, that Kara might kiss her. Her eyes darted from holding Lena’s gaze, down to the necklace, and then to Lena’s lips. And, surprisingly, Lena didn’t think she would object to such an action.

But instead Kara stood up quickly, reaching for the control panel to turn off the projector. The projected solar system faded away, replaced by the dim lights that illuminated the ship’s common areas at night.

Kara reached down to help Lena stand up. “May I escort you back to you your room, Miss Luthor?”

Lena grinned as she took Kara’s hand and was pulled to her feet. “Of course, Lady Kara, thank you.”

Kara didn’t release her hand as they walked from the room, or as they made their way silently through the dim corridors. She only let go when they came to stand outside the door to Lena’s quarters.

“Goodnight, Lena,” Kara said softly, stepping away.

“Goodnight, Kara,” Lena replied. She pressed her hand to the door of her room and stepped inside.

The room wasn’t empty. Stretched out on the bed, still in her clothes from the day, Andrea clutched a pillow to her front and snored slightly. Lena chuckled at the sight and pressed the communication panel on the wall.

“Is everything alright, Lena?”

“Yes, Russ, everything’s fine,” Lena replied. “But you may want to come get your sleeping mate out of my bed.”

Lena could hear Russ’s heavy sigh through the speaker. “I can do that.”

Lena laughed softly as the device switched off and a moment later she opened the door for Russ El. He shook his head at the sight of his mate, and Lena pried the pillow out of her sleeping arms as Russ picked her up in a bridal carry without even waking her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another date, a first kiss, and Kara's final revelation.

“Are you seriously not going to tell me what we’re doing?”

Lena grinned broadly as she led a blindfolded Kara through the halls of the ship.

“You’ve been surprising me with dates for two weeks now,” she told her as she pushed at Kara’s shoulders to make her turn a corner. “Now it’s my turn.”

Kara grumbled something in Kryptonese that Lena was fairly certain translated into a minor curse, but she ignored her. She gave Kara a final shove toward their destination and pulled the blindfold off with a flourish.

“Tada!”

Kara blinked slowly, taking in her surroundings, and then her brow crinkled in confusion. “Lena, why are we in the kitchen? Oh! Oooo, are we gonna eat something?”

“Well, hopefully,” Lena said, stepping toward a counter where a variety of ingredients were already portioned out for her. “We’re going to cook something. And if it turns out well, I suppose we’ll be eating it.”

“You know how to cook?” Kara asked, eyes wide.

“Well, enough to get by,” Lena told her, moving aside some ingredients. “I’m pretty good at baking. I had a chemistry professor in college who would invite her students to her home for baking experiments every weekend. It’s a very precise form of cooking, so it appealed to our scientific natures. I know how much you like food, so I thought we could try this. Lucy introduced me to the ship’s cooks and a woman named Brigid showed me how to use the equipment. It’s not a traditional date but, I mean… Is this okay?”

Kara beamed at her. “It’s more than okay, Lena. I love spending time with you and if there’s _food_ involved? Win-win.”

Lena chuckled. “Well, don’t get too excited. It’s much easier with two sets of hands, so I’m putting you to work Captain, and if you don’t follow my directions we might screw this up and end up with something inedible. Think you can handle it?”

“Yes ma’am,” Kara said with a wide grin. “What are we making?”

Lena scooted a bowl of dark chocolate across the counter with a flourish. “Chocolate soufflé with strawberry sauce.”

“I don’t know what a soufflé is, but I love chocolate, so that sounds amazing,” Kara said with determination. “Let’s do it.”

Kara, as it turns out, was completely hopeless in the kitchen. Lena tried having her help her at first, but soon found that Kara was like a bull in a china shop, dumping too much of an ingredient here, cracking eggs so hard that shell got into the mix, stirring with so much force that she sloshed batter onto the counter. Finally Lena relegated her to the simplest task she could think of— buttering the sides of the ramekins— and then assigned her to clean-up duty to keep her from sneaking bites of the melted chocolate they needed for the batter.

“You’re a mess,” she said as she stood from placing the last ramekin into the oven. The front of Kara’s sweater was smeared with flour— she had even managed to get some in the ends of her hair— and her lips were coated with chocolate residue.

“But it’s so good!” Kara exclaimed as Lena picked up the dirty bowl.

“I know,” Lena replied. “But since you snuck so much chocolate during the cooking process, I don’t think you deserve to get the best part.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “What’s the best part?”

Lena grinned. “Licking the bowl. I think I should get that all to myself since you’ve already eaten so much batter.”

She pulled the bowl closer to her and ran her finger through the chocolate batter until she had collected a large dollop, then popped it into her mouth and sucked it clean with a pleased hum.

Kara made a sound that was something like “Meep!”

Lena looked up from the bowl and saw Kara staring at her with a look that could only be described as ravenous— and not for food. Then she realized exactly what she must look like, sucking batter from her fingers, and blushed at the thought. She hadn’t meant to be provocative, but she couldn’t seem to help herself around Kara.

“Here, you can have the rest,” she said quickly, scooting the bowl over to Kara and retreating to the stove.

“Are you sure?” Kara asked.

“Mmhmm, it’s fine. I need to start the strawberry sauce, anyway.”

An hour later, they sat side by side at the counter, eight perfect soufflés between them. Lena spooned the strawberry sauce onto the top of two of them and pushed one in front of Kara.

“Okay, tell me what you think,” she said as Kara took her spoon and dove in for the first bite.

Kara closed her lips over the bite and immediately closed her eyes as she began to chew. A smile spread across her face and then she moaned in a way that was not entirely appropriate for eating.

“Oh Rao,” she said as she swallowed. “ _Oh Rao_ , Lena, that’s amazing. Like, if I didn’t already want you as my mate, that would totally seal the deal. I want these every day for the rest of my life.”

Lena chuckled. Two weeks ago Kara’s words might’ve made her uncomfortable but now… Now they made her feel something else entirely.

“Well, there’s an Earth saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I suppose the same goes for Kryptonian Alphas, regardless of gender.”

“Mmm, why aren’t you eating yours yet? Eat!” Kara ordered between mouthfuls.

“Alright, alright,” Lena said, taking her own bite. “Mmm, you’re right, these are amazing.”

They ate in silence for several long minutes, neither of them wanting to stop eating long enough to make conversation. Over the past few weeks they had talked about numerous things— their childhoods, their favorite things, different places they had visited. They had shared information about Earth and Krypton. They discussed science at length. Kara had even began reading books from Earth that Lena suggested so they could discuss literature. Their talks were great, but their silences weren’t awkward. Lena found great comfort just sharing space with Kara, soaking in her warmth even at a distance.

When she finished her soufflé she looked up and found Kara watching her with that same hungry expression as before, but it was gentler this time, fonder. Lena was tempted to look away, but instead she held her gaze. Kara glanced down, away from the eye contact, but her eyes landed on Lena’s lips.

“You’ve got a little something here,” she said, reaching up and stroking Lena’s bottom lip with the pad of her thumb. Lena could feel a small dollop of chocolate smear instead of being wiped away, and Kara frowned.

“You could kiss me, you know,” Lena said before she could second guess herself.

Kara’s eyes darted up to hers and she swallowed deeply. “What?”

“I know you want to,” Lena said. “You’ve wanted to for a while, haven’t you?”

Kara blushed. “Yes.”

“Then why don’t you?” she asked.

“I don’t want to touch you without your permission,” Kara said softly, eyes darting back and forth between Lena’s eyes and her lips.

“Well, I’m giving you permission,” Lena told her. “You can kiss me now, or whenever you’d like. Just… Not more, okay?”

“Okay,” Kara breathed. She stared at Lena’s lips, but still didn’t move to kiss her. “I’m afraid I won’t be any good at it. I’ve never, I mean…”

“You’ve never kissed anyone?” Lena asked, eyes wide. “Not at all?”

“No,” Kara blushed even deeper. “Some Alphas would experiment, when we were younger, but it never felt right to me so I didn’t kiss any of them. When I came of age Astra offered to take me to a brothel on another planet where I could do a lot more than kiss, but I refused.”

“So you’re a virgin?” Lena wasn’t sure why she was surprised, considering who Kara was and the circumstances she grew up under, but some part of her was still shocked that anyone who looked like Kara was a virgin.

“Yes,” Kara said shyly. “Is that okay?”

“Of course it is,” Lena said with authority. “As long you’re okay with the fact that I’m not.”

“That’s fine,” Kara said quickly. “I mean… My Alpha side kind of wants to hunt down anyone you’ve been with and kick them in the privates, but the rational side of me understands.”

Lena chuckled at the honest response, looking down at the empty ramekins between them. She looked back up coyly. “So… are you going to kiss me, Kara?”

“I’d really like to,” Kara said, leaning in closer. “If you want to.”

“Yes, please,” Lena sighed, closing the last bit of space between them.

Kara’s lips were as soft as she had always imagined, if a bit sticky from the dessert. Their first kiss was gentle, chaste, just lips against lips, but it sent a bubble of warmth straight to Lena’s chest.

Kara pulled back a moment later.

“Wow…” she breathed. “Was that okay?”

“That was perfect,” Lena replied honestly. “Would you like to do it again?”

“Yes,” Kara supplied quickly, then blushed at her own eagerness. “I know there’s more, I’ve seen it, but…”

“I can teach you,” Lena said, a thrill going down her spine at the idea. “If that’s what you want…”

“Yeah,” Kara breathed before her lips were on Lena’s again.

Kara was certainly a fast learner. She mirrored Lena’s actions with each stroke of their lips together, and when Lena pressed her tongue to the seam of the Alpha’s lips she parted them with a small gasp. Lena reached up and cupped Kara’s cheek as she stroked into her mouth, teasing her tongue to play. Kara tasted like their dessert, like rich chocolate and sweet berries and still something undeniably Kara.

Lena breathed deeply through her nose as Kara’s tongue dipped into her mouth, copying her own movements, and the spicy-sweet smell of Kara’s pheromones filled her senses. A moan escaped her throat as the scent and the sensations sent arousal pooling in her gut.

Finally, Kara pulled back panting. She pressed her forehead against Lena’s and made a low rumbling sound in her throat that sounded almost like a purr.

“You’re very good at that,” she said with a grin.

“And you’re a fast learner,” Lena told her.

Kara giggled and pressed another quick kiss to Lena’s lips, then one to her cheek, and finally one on the tip of her nose, still giggling.

“What’s got you so cheerful?” Lena teased.

“I like kissing you,” she said dreamily.

Lena chuckled. “Well, I like kissing you, too. So consider this permission that you can kiss me whenever you like.”

“Okay,” Kara said gleefully. “But if you ever don’t want me to for any reason, you can just tell me no, you know that, right?”

“I do know that,” Lena replied. “You know, you’re nothing like I thought you would be when I first came aboard this ship.”

“I was… I was trying to be something I’m not,” Kara admitted. “I thought I could win you over by being a strong, dominant Alpha. I never imagined you would actually like just _me_.”

“Well, I do like just you,” Lena told her, giving her one quick kiss and then one more not-so-quick kiss. When she finally pulled back, she looked down at the remaining soufflés between them. “Alright, six left. I’m sure you could probably eat them all by yourself with that stomach of steel, but how about we be nice and share them this time? Two to James and Lucy, two to Russ and Andrea, one to Alex and… would you like to take one to your aunt?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kara agreed. They each grabbed a small soufflé in each hand and stood from the table. “Oh, and Lena?”

“Yeah?”

Kara smiled widely. “Thank you for the date. I had a really good time.”

Lena couldn’t help but smile in return. “Me, too.”

——

“Okay, so you are officially cancer free and now—“ Alex pressed a needle into the bend of Lena’s arms and pressed a button, and suddenly a mixture of blood a metallic-looking liquid filled the attached vial— “you’re also nanite free.”

Alex pulled the vial away and rubbed a small dab of what Lena called liquid bandaid over the small opening in the skin.

“You’re absolutely positive?” Lena asked, looking down at her arm.

“You can look at the scans for yourself,” Alex said, flipping on a nearby screen that showed multiple images of Lena’s body beneath the surface, illuminating blood vessels, bones, and other tissues. Alex showed her before and after scans that clearly showed where the tumors had been and now there was nothing, not even scar tissue.

“The nanites are really that efficient?” Lena murmured in awe.

“They really are,” Alex said. “They ate away at any cancerous tumors in your body. And because of the genetic modification process, it couldn’t spread anywhere else and you’ll never have cancer ever again.”

Lena felt tears forming in the edges of her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Alex said, sitting on the bed beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders.

“These aren’t sad tears,” Lena told he as she wiped her cheeks. “I just… I barely remember my biological mother, but I do remember how the cancer destroyed her body and spirit. When they told me I also carried the risk, it terrified me, honestly. But it was like a ticking time bomb that I couldn’t stop. It was easier to ignore. I think—“ Her breath caught in her throat. “I think I knew, before I was collected. Some part of me recognized the symptoms, but I knew from my own research that there was nothing to be done except delay the inevitable. I had started preparing for my absence— possibly my permanent absence— from LuthorCorp.”

“You knew?” Alex exclaimed.

“Part of me did, and part of me was in denial,” Lena shrugged. “I told myself that I was just planning for all possible outcomes. Hell, even if it wasn’t cancer that took my life, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.”

“That’s… I mean, I guess that’s true,” Alex said, shuffling her feet.

“Hey,” Lena said suddenly. “Please don’t tell Kara. She… I don’t think she would understand.”

“I won’t,” Alex replied. “My lips are sealed.”

Lena chuckled. “Well, at least one of you understands English idioms.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “I’ve had years more practice. She’ll get them eventually. Kara’s smarter than she lets on, you know.”

“I know,” Lena said with a sigh.

“How’s that going, by the way?” Alex asked, standing and clearing away her equipment.

Lena raised a brow. “Doesn’t she tell you?”

“Oh, she tells me alright,” Alex said, eyes widening. “Every time we talk it’s _Lena’s so beautiful_ this and _Lena’s so smart_ that and _Lena’s such a good kisser_... Bleh! She honestly won’t shut up about you.”

“So what else do you need to know?” Lena asked with a small smirk.

Alex leveled her with a serious look. “I need to know that you’re not going to get her hopes up only to break her heart.”

Lena’s eyes widened at the sudden shift in the Kryptonian medical officer. “Alex…”

“No, Lena, listen. It’s not that I don’t trust you or that I don’t like you or anything like that,” Alex said quickly. “I want Kara to be happy. And goodness knows after everything she’s done, I’m both shocked and pleasantly surprised that you two seem so happy together. But I’ve known her for eighteen years. I met her at the lowest point of both of our lives, and I wouldn’t have survived without her. I wouldn’t be where I am not if not for her. I love her. She’s my sister, even if not by blood. I’ve seen her hurt so many times and it kills me like a wound to my own soul. So I need to know what your intentions are with my sister.”

Lena stared at Alex for a moment before she muttered. “Wow. A Kryptonian shovel talk.”

“A what?” Alex said, tilting her head in confusion the same way Kara did. It was quite endearing.

“Nothing,” Lena replied. “Look, Alex. We’re still learning about each other, doing things to see if we fit together. I can’t say with certainty that things will work out, just because it’s still early. But I can say that I have no intention of hurting Kara. I don’t like seeing her hurt. Hell, even when I’m angry with her I can’t stay mad for long because she’s like a freaking puppy.”

Alex snorted. “Do not tell her that. I don’t think her Alpha would be very happy with the comparison, however accurate.”

“You get my point though?” Lena asked.

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I do. And I’m happy to hear it. For what it’s worth, I really do hope you guys work it out.”

Lena nodded. Then she grinned. “Well, at least I don’t have a dick for you to threaten to cut off.”

“Wait, what?” Alex exclaimed, one hand moving slightly protectively toward her groin.

“Andrea gave Kara a little talk similar to the one you just gave me,” Lena laughed. “Except it was much shorter and to the point. And she threatened to cut Kara’s dick off if she hurt me.”

Alex shook her head. “Russ El has his hands full with that one.”

“I think he enjoys it,” Lena said speculatively.

“Yeah, I think so too,” Alex said. “Alright, I’ve got everything put away. How about we head to dinner?”

“Sounds good, doc,” Lena agreed.

Lena practically skipped to the dining hall. Though she had believed Alex weeks before when she said the nanites would cure her cancer, there was still a part of her that worried. She had carried the weight of her genetic predisposition for years, carried that possibility over her head. For it to be gone for good— she understood what Kara meant when she said she felt like she could fly.

When she saw Kara in the dining hall, she almost did just that. She ran toward the Alpha and leapt toward her. Thankfully, Kara’s reflexes were sharp and she caught Lena easily, pulling her into a tight hug.

“The cancer’s gone,” Lena exclaimed happily into her blonde curls. Kara sat her down and looked her over from top to bottom, as if she could see the cancer if she tried.

“Totally gone?” Kara asked, looking from Lena to where Alex stood behind her.

“Just checked the final scans and removed the nanites,” Alex confirmed. “Totally gone.”

“Oh, thank Rao,” Kara said, pulling Lena into a tight hug. “It worked. It really worked.”

“You saved me,” Lena said, looking up at her.

Their celebration was interrupted by a loud crash. Kara turned quickly, pushing Lena behind her slightly, and Alex stepped in front of her defensively as well, but Lena could still see around them.

Ty Vel stood on the opposite side of the room above an overturned table. The food from his plate littered the floor— only his plate, as any friends he had once had quickly ended their association with him after he assaulted Lena. A bitter scent hit Lena’s nose as angry, dominant pheromones rolled off him in waves. Everyone near him scattered as he picked up a chair and threw it aside in anger.

“What is the meaning of this, Ty Vel?” Kara demanded.

“You dare hold her?” Tyl growled. “You dare touch her as if you deserve her, Kara El?”

“That’s none of your business, Ty!” Lena shouted, incensed.

“Like hell it isn’t!” the angry Alpha roared. “Has she not hurt you as well, Lena? And yet you enter into a courtship with her while you cannot stand the sight of me.”

“Kara’s actions saved my life,” Lena said. “You, on the other hand, attacked me out of selfish lust. I forgave you because you were in rut. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

“You could’ve chosen any Alpha,” Ty ranted, stalking closer. “Even knowing your brother’s crimes, even with Kara El’s genetic vial already imprinted on your DNA, any Alpha would’ve set that aside for a chance to mate such a strong, beautiful Omega. And yet you choose the daughter of a traitor.”

“Step back, Ty Vel,” Alex said, looking between the Alpha and her sister. “You’re not under the influence of your rut. You should know better than this.”

“I made my choice, Ty,” Lena said softly.

“And it’s the wrong one!” Ty roared. He charged forward, only to be met by a strong punch to the jaw from Kara’s fist. Alex stood protectively in front of Lena as Kara moved toward Ty Vel.

“Ty Vel, you will be placed in a holding cell until we reach Argo, where you will be tried for your previous assault on Lena Luthor and now for an assault on your captain,” Kara growled, her tone low and authoritative. Dominant pheromones rolled off her in waves, their spicy tones overpowering the bitter scent that Ty-Vel produced.

“You are not my captain,” Ty said, spitting blood toward Kara’s feet. “You are not my captain, and thank Rao you are not my queen. I will not submit to you, Kara El, daughter of the man who killed our planet. What can you offer a mate but shame? You do not deserve a mate. I issue an official challenge for the right to mate Lena Luthor.”

“We do not entertain the barbaric practice of mating challenges any more, Ty Vel,” Alex said calmly. Lena could smell a warm, sweet scent coming from her— calming pheromones. “It is the human’s choice whom she wants to court and take as a mate, and you will accept that.”

“I will not—“ Ty’s words were cut off by two solid punches from Kara’s fists, leaving his face a bloody mess yet again. His body collapsed to the floor in a heap, but his chest still rose and fell.

“Take him to a holding cell,” Kara ordered. “And clean this up.”

Two Alphas in brown uniforms stepped forward to grab Ty Vel’s limp body and carry him from the dining hall. Others began moving to clean up the mess he had made, sweeping up spilled food and setting table and chairs upright.

But Lena’s attention was on Kara. She was still shaking with rage and the spicy scent of her dominant pheromones filled the air, causing the other Alphas to shrink back in submission. Even Alex kept her eyes lowered in deference.

Suddenly Kara turned on her heel and hurried from the dining hall, her pace brisk and her steps long. Lena moved quickly as well, fighting to keep up with her, but once they were in the empty hallways Kara began to run. Lena followed her, trailing her scent even after she had lost sight of her, even as the smell changed from spice to something bitter.

She found Kara in the meditation room, bathed in red light from the projector. The Kryptonian sat perched on her knees, arms crossed over her chest, and she chanted in Kryptonese as tears ran down her cheeks. Lena didn’t want to disturb her, but she wanted her to know that she was there, so she sat beside Kara, pressing her hip against the Alpha’s, and focused on emitting a sweet, calming scent.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Kara said finally, after several minutes of meditation followed by even more minutes of silence.

“I want to be here,” Lena said, leaning further into Kara’s side. “I want to be with you.”

“You shouldn’t,” Kara said bitterly. “You heard Ty-Vel. No Omega would want me, the disgraced daughter of a murderer.”

Lena frowned. “What did he mean by that, Kara?”

Kara hung her head, but remained silent. Lena scooted across the floor until she was sitting knee to knee, face to face with the Kryptonian.

“You can tell me, Kara,” she said. “You need to tell me.”

Still Kara remained silent. Lena sighed. “Okay then. Will you tell me why you don’t want to tell me? Or why you haven’t told me already?”

“Shame,” Kara said simply. She looked up with tearful eyes and damp cheeks. “There is an old belief on Krypton that when one person commits a horrible act, the shame is passed on through generations of their family. The worse the transgression, the more shame, the longer it continues through the family. And my father committed the worst transgression one can commit.”

“Is this about your father’s war crimes?” Lena asked. “Did he do something against the Daxamites?”

“No,” Kara said bitterly, shaking her head. “No my father…”

She sighed, then took a deep breath. “My father Zor El was the eldest son and heir of King Seyg El of Krypton. He was a prince and a soldier, but he was at heart a scientist. He taught me to love our people, and how to fight for them, but my favorite memories are of time we spent in his lab together. Even though I was a child he would speak to me as if I were an adult, asking my opinion on things, explaining what he was doing in as simplistic terms as he could. He loved me, and he loved his people.

“The war on Daxam lasted ten years and claimed many lives, both through battle and also civilians lost due to disease and restricted rations. My father sought to end the war. So he developed a biological weapon— a virus. He took the virus and his proposal to the Council for permission to use it on the Daxamites, but they refused. They believed we could win the war if we just continued to be patient, that even though we would continue to lose people we would outlast the Daxamites. They told him that using his virus would be too drastic, that it would wipe out an entire civilization— and they were right.”

“So your father invented the virus that…” Lena’s voice trailed off and Kara nodded. “Oh God. But how did it—?”

“My father couldn’t stand to lose any more of our people,” Kara said. “So he defied Council orders. He and a crew of his most trusted soldiers took a ship to Daxam to unleash the virus, but they were ambushed before they had the chance. The Daxamites found the virus on board and discovered what it would do. That was when they devised their plan— I believe humans would call it a Trojan Horse. They sent my father and the survivors of his crew back home with a supply of ore, but they didn’t realize that their ship had been laced with the virus. Even the soldiers had been infected, but they were Alphas so they didn’t realize it until they had returned to Krypton and began spreading the virus to Omegas.”

Kara wiped at her eyes. “The disease my father created to save his people ended up nearly destroying us. He was arrested shortly before my mother died. He was tried by the Council, and since he was a royal they could not sentence him to death so they stripped him of his titles and exiled him to a prison planet. He ended up taking his own life there, unable to bear the shame of what he had done.”

“And you ended up an orphan,” Lena surmised.

Kara nodded. “With my father’s titles stripped, I was also left with nothing. My uncle Jor El became king when my grandfather died, and my cousin Kal El inherited the throne a few years ago with my uncle died. None of my relatives wanted a child who carried the shame of Zor El, so I was sent to the orphanage. When I came of age I became a soldier, and my aunt took me under her wing. When my cousin took the throne, he restored my status as a royal, though he kept the throne— that would’ve caused a riot. He gave me a place at court, though, and his kinship. He does not believe in the old superstitions, Kal. He’s a good man.”

“You’re a good woman,” Lena told her.

Kara shook her head. “I try to be. I have tried to be a good Alpha. It’s why I’ve learned so much restraint. I cannot lose control of myself. I tried to be a good soldier. I try to be a good captain. But there are still those like Ty-Vel who will only see the the sins of my father.”

“Kara, listen to me,” Lena said, taking Kara’s hands in hers. “Ty-Vel is a jealous bastard and that’s all. His words came from jealousy that I would choose you over him, as if it is any contest. I don’t believe the way you say some Kryptonians believe. You were an innocent child when your father did what he did, and you were just as much a victim of his actions as anyone else on Krypton. His shame and his mistakes are not yours. I of all people know that. My father was not a good man, either. He was a lying scoundrel who sucked money from his employees so he could build his own fortune. He enjoyed putting small businesses out so he could make a bigger profit. He cheated on his wife multiple times, was a mean drunk to his family. And let’s not even get started on my brother. But do you think that I’m a bad person because of them?”

“No,” Kara said honestly. “I think you’re wonderful, Lena Luthor.”

Lena smiled softly. “I think you’re pretty wonderful yourself, Kara El. And it seems to me that there are many other people in your life who think you’re wonderful as well.”

Kara looked down at where their hands were joined, and Lena followed her gaze. Bathed in the reddish-light of the Kryptonian sun, their skin almost appeared to glow from the inside out.

“Lena?” Kara said softly. Lena looked up and met her gaze, amazed at how blue her eyes looked even under the red sun. “I’d really like to kiss you right now.”

Lena smiled widely and leaned in, cupping Kara’s cheek with her hand. “I’d like that.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara goes into rut.  
> Lena gets to know General Astra.

Kissing Kara was an experience unlike anything Lena had ever felt before. Lena had never experimented with drugs, unlike some of her classmates in boarding school and college, but she imagined addiction felt something like this. Between the heady pheromones twisting in the air around them whenever their lips touched, to the way Kara’s lips and tongue moved expertly against her own— the Alpha was definitely a quick study— Lena couldn’t get enough. And when she told Kara that she was also allowed to touch her…

Well, they could hardly keep their hands off one another. Andrea and Lucy compared them to a couple of teenagers, and Lena couldn’t say they were wrong. Kara had never gotten to experience the typical age of sexual exploration, and Lena had been treated as a pariah at her all-girls boarding school, so even while the other girls experimented with each other they wouldn’t touch a Luthor with a ten-foot pole. Lena wasn’t innocent, but something about being with Kara made her feel like she was experiencing everything for the first time again.

Which was how she found herself being led through the ship’s corridors by Kara’s Kelex robot, carrying a plate of food. Kara had sent word that she would have to work through lunch and wouldn’t be able to join Lena, so Lena thought it would be a better alternative to just take Kara lunch herself.

She expected Kelex to lead her to the control room where she had first met General Astra, but the robot continued on, floating past the large double doors and further down the hall until it came to a smaller door, which opened automatically. Lena followed the robot inside.

Kara’s office was far from what she had expected. It was smaller than her old office at LuthorCorp. One side was full of equipment, monitors showing various charts and graphs, tracking every minute detail of what was happening on board the ship, and communications equipment that could transmit through vast distances in space. The opposite wall was literally the opposite. Printed navigational charts were stuck to every surface of the wall, along with printed images from various planets and systems. A three dimensional model of the ship sat in one corner of the room, and in the opposite corner was a desk where Kara was hard at work.

“Just put the food on the table, Kelex,” Kara said without looking up. She was staring hard at two screens in front of her, brows crinkled behind a pair of dark-framed glasses that Lena had never seen her wear before.

“Well, Kelex doesn’t have the food,” Lena said brightly, stepping further into the room to set the plate where Kara had instructed.

Kara looked up sharply, glasses sliding down her nose. “Lena? What are you doing here?”

“Bringing you lunch,” she replied simply, moving around the back of the desk. “I know you said you had to work, but I thought a short visit might not distract you too much. Plus, I’ve been curious about what exactly you do everyday as Captain of the ship.”

“Oh, well, that’s—“ Kara stuttered for a moment before sighing. “I’m glad you’re here, honestly.”

Lena moved around to the opposite side of the desk and bent down to give Kara a soft kiss. “I’m glad I’m here too.” She reached up and tapped the temple of Kara’s glasses. “What’s up with these? I’ve never seen you wear glasses before.”

“They’re protective lenses,” Kara explained. “I wear them when I have to stare at these screens for hours on end to keep my eyes sharp.”

“That’s smart,” Lena said, looking at Kara intently. “I like them, you look good.”

Kara blushed. “Thank you.”

“So, can you eat and talk shop at the same time?” Lena asked, gesturing to the plate of food.

As Kara ate her meal, she told Lena about the different things she worked on everyday. She received reports from the heads of the different maintenance units on board on all of the ship’s functions, making sure that everything from the engine to the air quality system to the waste evacuation system were all running properly. She kept track of food rations along with their head chef and maintained communications with the conservatory workers to plan meals and make sure they had the food they needed. She made sure injured crew members were properly taken care of and that their positions could be covered while they were recovering. She dealt with any personal or professional issues that arose between crew members as well.

“Oh my god,” Lena said, finally. “You’re a CEO.”

“What?” Kara asked.

Lena laughed. “You basically do the same job that I did on Earth. Do you realize that?”

“Sort of, I guess,” Kara replied. “I mean, I knew you ran a company but I didn’t really know what all that entailed.”

“Well, it’s very similar,” Lena said. “It all comes down to managing assets and people. You know, if you ever want any help with your work, maybe I could come assist you, if that’s allowed?”

Kara sat back in her chair with a thump. “You would do that?”

“Yeah,” Lena said softly. “It’s… I mean, Lucy says I should find something to do that utilizes my skill sets. I’ve thought about doing research with Andrea, or my own research. But maybe I could also help with some of this? I’m not military, but if I can manage a failing company I can probably manage a ship.”

Kara grinned. “You’re brilliant, Lena. I’m sure you could do anything on Krypton that you set your mind to.”

This was new for them. They never really talked about Lena’s future— in fact, Lena had a feeling Kara avoided it intentionally. So much was still up in the air, quite literally.

“Well, there are perks to working with you,” Lena said, sliding Kara’s empty plate out of the way so there was an empty spot on her desk. She sat gently on the table in front of Kara and moved so that one leg draped on either side of where Kara sat.

Kara swallowed hard, the muscles in her throat flexing with the movement. “Um… perks?”

“Mmhmm, definite perks,” Lena told her, and her words were accompanied by a burst of sweet scent that filled the office. Kara’s nose twitched and her pupils dilated. “And I don’t mean life insurance or a 401K.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Kara stammered as Lena leaned closer. Lena just chuckled.

“I think you know what I mean,” she said as she pressed her lips against Kara’s.

Kara was definitely a quick study at kissing, but she was also observant and determined. For their first few kisses she had been content to just copy Lena’s motions, to learn the basics, but now, _now_ she seemed to really be getting it, setting her own pace and also finding the best ways to make Lena moan deep in her throat and produce more sweet and spicy arousal pheromones. Rather than cautious and explorative, her kisses were bold and possessive, and the change made Lena’s addiction even stronger.

“You’re getting good at that,” Lena joked breathlessly as she pulled away for air.

Kara stood, kicking her seat away, and cupped Lena’s jaws to pull her into another kiss. Lena pulled in oxygen and the wonderful scent of Kara’s pheromones through her nose as Kara’s tongue stroked lasciviously against her own. The Alpha stepped closer between her legs and wrapped one arm around Lena’s waist, pulling them tightly together. Lena gasped and Kara pulled away from her lips, pressing kisses down the side of her neck to the place where her neck met her shoulder.

“Rao, you smell so good,” Kara said in a moan so deep it was almost a growl. She dragged her teeth over the skin there, where a Kryptonian mating bite would go.

Lena groaned at the sensation as sparks of arousal shot straight from Kara’s hint of a bite down to her core. Kara pushed her hips closer to Lena’s, until she could feel the bulge beneath Kara’s uniform pressing hard against the hot cleft of her sex.

“God, Kara, slow down,” Lena murmured, the rational part of her mind barely able to overpower the arousal that coursed through her.

Kara just murmured something in Kryptonese and pressed her lips back to Lena’s. She stroked into Lena’s mouth with her tongue just as she began rolling her hips into Lena’s center, copying the rhythm of her kiss with the rhythm of her thrusts. Lena couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her as one press hit precisely against her clit through her trousers.

“Kara,” she said breathlessly as the Kryptonian’s lips left hers again, moving once more to her neck. “Kara, we need to stop.”

Kara growled against her neck and the scent around them changed. Lena almost choked on the cloying spicy scent and she could feel wetness flood between her legs in response.

“ _Mine_ ,” Kara growled into her neck, nipping again.

Lena cried out. “Yes, yours, someday, but not now, not in your office.”

Kara growled fiercely at being denied, and suddenly Lena knew exactly what was going on.

“Oh, fuck, Kara, you need to stop,” she said, pushing at her shoulders. “You’re starting your rut, Kara.”

“Mmm, but you feel so good,” Kara whined, holding Lena tightly instead of letting go.

“I know, and you feel good too,” Lena admitted. “But you don’t want it to be like this, Kara. I’m not ready for this yet, not like this. We need to stop.”

Kara roared at the word stop and suddenly fear laced through Lena’s system, drying up any arousal she previously felt. She shoved roughly at Kara’s shoulders, and her scent changed from the sweet scent of arousal to the bitter acidic smell of fear.

“Back off, Kara!” she ordered.

Kara’s eyes widened at the order, but then she began breathing in Lena’s scent. Her eyes widened, and the blue of her irises returned slightly as her pupils shrunk.

“Lena!” she gasped, pushing herself away from the desk. “Oh, Rao, Lena, I didn’t mean…”

“I know,” Lena said. “But you need to get to Alex, you need a suppressant.”

Kara looked down at herself, and Lena couldn’t help but follow her gaze to where the outline of her arousal was obvious in her pants. Lena blushed even redder than Kara at the sight.

“Here!” she exclaimed, grabbing the empty tray from the dining hall and passing it to Kara. “That should cover it.”

Kara held the tray over her crotch and looked up at Lena sharply. “Wait here until I send someone for you. That way you’ll know I’m out of the halls and not a threat.”

Lena nodded.

Kara shuffled away toward the door, casting one last look over her shoulder.

“It’s alright, Kara,” Lena assured her. “You didn’t hurt me. You stopped. You kept your promise.”

“Of course I did,” Kara said, her voice gravelly. “I love you.”

Lena’s heart leapt in her chest, lodging somewhere in her throat where it fought with her vocal cords for space. She stared at Kara dumbly for a moment before the Kryptonian hurried from the room and the doors hissed closed behind her.

 _Shit_.

Lena stood up from the desk and paced the length of the small room. This was all… Unexpected, to say the least. She hadn’t meant for this to happen this way, and she certainly didn’t expect Kara to say she loved her, not like that.

But she did.

And Lena didn’t say anything back.

She was tempted to run after her, but she knew that wasn’t safe. Just because Kara was able to fight off her rut’s urges for a while in the office didn’t mean she would be able to if she continued smelling Lena’s scent. Kara was strong and good, of that Lena was certain, but she wasn’t immune to temptation or her body’s hormonal cycles, and Lena didn’t want to make it any harder on her than it already was.

But, God, why hadn’t she said anything back?

She sat down in Kara’s chair with a thud and waited. Thankfully it wasn’t very long until the door slid open and someone entered, but it certainly wasn’t who she had hoped Kara would send after her.

“General Astra,” she said in greeting. “Is Kara alright?”

“Alex gave her a dose of rut suppressant, but her hormone production was not affected,” Astra said frankly. “She requested to be put in one of the reinforced rut cells in the brig until her rut is finished.”

“That’s not fair,” Lena argued. “She shouldn’t be a prisoner, she hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“No, it isn’t fair, and she hasn’t,” Astra barked, and the displeasure in her voice chilled Lena. “However, while there is an unbonded Omega on board the likelihood of the suppressants working on _any_ Alpha, even one as disciplined as my niece, is slim to none. Any Alpha in rut will need to be contained for the duration of their cycle for your protection and for tranquility aboard the ship.”

Lena blinked slowly. “Forgive me, General, but you sound as if you’re blaming me for this?”

“Oh, believe me, I am,” Astra said with a frown.

“I don’t understand,” Lena said. “I didn’t choose to be turned into an Omega.”

“No, but you choose to remain unbonded,” Astra growled. “There are over one hundred mated pairs on this ship, over one hundred Omegas on board and none of them are causing such chaos. Their pheromones only call to their mates, and the mated scent on them repels unmated Alphas. But you, with no mating bite, you stir them up into a frenzy.”

“So you would have me mate Kara,” Lena surmised.

“Do you really find her objectionable?” Astra asked. “I’ve seen you together, so I don’t believe you do. And believe me, you couldn’t do much better in choosing a mate, and I’m not saying that because I’m biased as her aunt. She’s an excellent soldier, in high standing with Argo’s Council, a high-ranking lady within the court, the King’s cousin…”

“I don’t care about her titles or her status in society,” Lena said with a frown.

“No?” Astra asked. “Well then, consider this. She’s incredibly kind, even when the universe has not been kind to her. She is courageous in the face of adversity and danger. She holds herself with honor, but is not too proud to apologize when she has wronged someone, and she will always learn from her mistakes. She loves fiercely and without reserve. There is no better Alpha on this ship or on Argo, believe you me.”

Lena’s face pinched with confusion, but she didn’t reply. Astra looked away from her, allowing her to process her words.

“I’m afraid I got the wrong impression of you, General Astra,” Lena said finally.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the first time I met you I walked in on you berating Kara for being weak and naive,” Lena said. “I didn’t realize how much you care for her.”

Astra scoffed. “Of course I care for her. I love her. She’s my family.”

“Believe me, we don’t always care for our family,” Lena said bitterly. “Tell me, if you love her so much, why do you push her so hard?”

“I push her, as you say, because I care about her,” Astra told Lena. “You have no idea what our world has become. Our entire civilization fell when we left Krypton. Our society was on the brink of failure, of civil war. Our leaders have struggled and they have not always made the right choices. And Kara is the daughter of the man who many people blame for all of that. She has to be strong and disciplined. Any failure, any weakness on her part will be viewed exponentially more severe than anyone else.”

“Yet you encouraged her to take me,” Lena stated.

“Not the way she did it,” Astra said. “And I only told her the truth, there have been rumors of Alphas picking certain women based on the files from the Collection Bureau and ordering those specific women be taken so that they will have a chance. Kara had never shown any interest in courting women on Argo, only in you, so I thought perhaps… But I never would’ve encouraged Kara to use her one chance on having a mate on you, not with so many unknown variables.”

Lena bit her cheek as she contemplated things.

“You remind me of my mate,” Astra said after a while, her voice tinged with melancholy. “I should’ve known I wouldn’t convince you in a single conversation.”

“Kara told me you were mated, before,” Lena said. “And that you had a daughter.”

“My mate was…” Astra looked toward the monitors on the wall and sighed, as if speaking of the woman hurt her. “Her name was Enali. She was brilliant and gentle. And headstrong, frustratingly so at times. When we were courting we would talk for hours about science and space travel. I wanted to show her every corner of the universe, every sun and star.” Astra took a deep breath. “But then the war came. I spent far too much time away from her then. But when Tila was born, I requested more time at home. I always felt loving my people meant fighting for them, but I also knew I would only experience my daughter’s childhood once. I have many regrets in my life, Lena, but loving my wife and daughter, electing to spend my days with them instead of in battle, is not one of them.”

Astra cleared her throat and looked back toward Lena. “I was part of the Council when Zor El made his proposal. I voted yes, for him to use it to end the war, but was outvoted. I never imagined he would attempt to take it himself, never imagined that it would fall into enemy hands. When the virus struck, Enali was pregnant with our second pup. I think that was the worst part for her, not the realization that she would die but knowing that our pup would die along with her. The only solace was that she died before the virus could begin affecting Tila.”

Astra’s voice shook and she blinked quickly “She was only eight years old. She hadn’t yet presented as an Alpha or Omega. I thought she might be safe— she might be an Alpha, or if she was to be an Omega, the virus wouldn’t affect her because she was so young. But I was mistaken, on both counts. It took the young Omegas faster even than the adults. One day they were alive and whole, and the next they were gone.”

“Astra I— I’m so sorry,” Lena said, blinking away her own tears.

“I will see them again someday, in Rao’s light,” Astra said with unwavering certainty. “I will never know the kind of happiness I had with Enali again, but I have always held hope that Kara might. She denies herself so much, carries such weight. I’ve seen you together, Lena. I believe you could make her happy, the way Enali made me happy so many years ago.”

Lena looked down at her lap. She didn’t know what to say to that. Kara’s earlier words rushed through her head.

 _I love you_.

“I should take you back to your quarters,” Astra said finally. Lena nodded and rose from the chair, following the Alpha into the hallway.

“Did you ever think of taking another mate?” Lena asked as they walked.

“I tried once,” Astra told her. “Before the Collection, when humans were experimenting to see if the reproductive organs of female Alphas could be stimulated to carry a child. I served with a man named Non. I knew I would never love him like Enali, but I respected him, and I thought that would be enough. But our Alpha dispositions clashed too much. We each wanted to dominate the other. I was stronger than him, but he felt that as the male he should be the dominant one in the relationship. I think if we had remained together, we might’ve actually killed each other. Now we simply mark it off as a failed venture and respect each other as comrades.”

“Wow,” Lena commented. That was not what she was expecting. “What about a human? Someone who was collected from Earth?”

Astra smiled, but it was a bitter expression. “I have had true happiness once, Lena. I do not believe I am fated to hold it again. The women who come to Argo deserve mates who can love them wholeheartedly, not someone who has already sent over half of their heart into Rao’s light.”

Astra stopped at the end of the hall that led to Lena’s quarters. “I take my leave of you now, Lena Luthor. Kara’s rut cycle will be over in four days time. I cannot make your choice for you, but I do ask that you take my words into consideration.”

“I will, General Astra,” Lena agreed.

The Kryptonian Alpha nodded, then turned on her heel and left Lena standing in the hallway. Lena sighed, suddenly exhausted, and headed back to her room. She placed her hand against the door and stepped inside as it slid closed.

She was not alone.

A man was standing on the opposite side of her bed, bent over her bedside table. He muttered to himself as he moved and suddenly Lena realized what he was doing.

“Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.

The man stood straight up, holding her tablet in his hands. Lena’s eyes widened in shock and realization.

“You’re a human!” she exclaimed.

“My name’s Winn Schott,” the man said nervously. “And the real question is, what the hell are _you_ doing, Lena Luthor?”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What has Lena been doing on that tablet?
> 
> Also, Lena misses Kara... a lot...
> 
> And Lena’s first ever game night aboard the ship.

“My name’s Winn Schott,” the man said nervously. “And the real question is, what the hell are _you_ doing, Lena Luthor.”

Lena pushed down her shock and raised her chin. “That’s none of your business.”

He snorted. “Actually it is. I’m head tech on the Collection ships, so it’s completely my business when someone hacks into the ship’s network and starts bypassing security features to send messages to Earth.”

The tablet in his hands beeped and he looked down and began typing again.

“Don’t touch that!” Lena ordered.

“Again, head tech,” Winn told her.

Lena moved across the room toward him, intent on yanking the tablet away if necessary, but before she could get to him he held his hands up in surrender and put the tablet back down on the nightstand.

“Okay, okay, geez,” Winn said, taking in her furious expression. “Seriously, on the one hand I’m ridiculously impressed because whatever you did is completely genius. I mean, I was confident in my coding but you just bypassed it completely. You have a degree in computer science, though, right?”

“Two,” Lena replied, grabbing the tablet and looking down at the screen. She scanned the code, making sure he hadn’t messed anything up. “You’re the one who did the code? It’s very impressive, honestly. It was the most challenging thing I’ve worked with, and not just because part of it’s in Kryptonese.”

“Right, so… Care to explain what you’re trying to do?” Winn asked. “I can tell you were communicating with someone on Earth, but I couldn’t get figure out who or what.”

“Only if you tell me what the hell a human man is doing on a Kryptonian vessel,” Lena said, sitting down and leveling Winn with a calculating look.

“Oh, um, well,” Winn said, scratching the back of his neck. “I came here with the first group of scientists from Earth like fifteen years ago to help research the Kryptonians’ reproductive problems.”

“So you’re a scientist too?” Lena asked.

“Oh, heck no,” Winn replied. “I’m strictly a computer guy. But they needed somebody to help integrate the tech on the team and keep things running. You know how most scientists are, they’re geniuses when it comes to their area of expertise but when it comes to computers, they don’t even know how to change their passwords.”

“But you must’ve been young,” Lena said, looking the man up and down. He couldn’t have been a day over thirty-five.”

“I was nineteen,” Winn told her. “And, um, I didn’t really volunteer. More like volun-told. I kind of hacked into the federal student loans database and erased two million dollars worth of student debt. At my sentencing they basically told me I could spend the next thirty years in prison or I could spend the next five working with scientists on Argo. I went with the five. And then while I was on Argo I met my wife, she’s from the Starhaven system. Once my five years was up, I decided to stay. When Kara became captain of her own ship, she gave me a job running tech, and now I’m running tech for the entire fleet of thirty ships.”

“So you know Kara?” Lena asked.

“Yep, she’s one of my best friends,” Winn replied.

The tablet in Lena’s hand beeped again, and she looked down. She typed out a short coded message and sent it, then looked back up to see Winn’s curious expression.

“What exactly are you doing?” he asked.

Lena bit her lip. “You can’t tell Kara. She wouldn’t understand, she’d take it the wrong way.”

“Whoa, hang on,” Winn said. “She’s the captain. I have to tell her.”

“But it’s just…” Lena sighed. “Look, do you know how she brought me on the ship?”

“Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “I, um… I might’ve been the one who helped her hack into your medical records. And the security cameras at LuthorCorp.”

Lena stared at him in shock. “Okay… Also impressive, but I’m not sure if I should kick you or not for that blatant invasion of my privacy.”

“Could we go with _not_ since it ended up curing your cancer in the long run?” Winn asked with a wince.

Lena didn’t reply. “Well, since you know all that, you know how quickly she brought me aboard the ship. I didn’t receive a writ of surrender, I wasn’t allowed any time to set my affairs in order. I didn’t have time to transfer ownership of LuthorCorp or make sure my employees and their interests were looked after. I didn’t have time to allocate my own resources. Once I was here, everyone told me that I should just let it go and try to accept my new life here, but I couldn’t, Winn. Too many people on Earth depended on me and I didn’t want to let them down. So… I hacked the system. I learned Krytonese, at least enough for this, and I hacked it. For the last week, I’ve been sending messages to my former assistant, my lawyers, and members of the LuthorCorp board to get my affairs in order on Earth before we leave for Argo.”

“So…” Winn sat down on the foot of Lena’s bed with a huff, and Lena’s brow wrinkled at his sudden familiarity. “You’re not trying to sabotage the ship?”

“Of course not,” Lena said. “Why the hell would I do that? Especially since _I’m on the ship_?”

“Oh, right,” Winn said. “And you’re not trying to escape?”

Lena snorted. “What good would that do? According to everyone on the ship it’s the laws made by humans that wouldn’t allow me back now that I have Kryptonian DNA.”

“Also true,” Winn said, glancing at the tablet. “Ugh… Okay, listen, I won’t tell anyone _if_ you’ll help me with something.”

——

Lena laid in bed and stared into the darkness. She should feel exhausted after the day she had had, but her mind was running full steam and her body buzzed with an unexplainable energy.

She hadn’t told Winn the entire truth. When she started learning Kryptonese and trying to hack into the ship’s network, she had every intention of attempting to escape. Her first messages had been aimed at getting permission to return back to Earth, in spite of the laws. But over the last few weeks, the weeks spent courting Kara, her intentions had changed.

On Earth, the Collection process had started a week ago. Women who were selected had been given their Writs of Surrender. They were given a month to get their affairs in order. Since Lena hadn’t had that time, she had to do all of the work virtually while aboard the ship. She messaged Jess, a few trusted members of the board, and her attorneys. She focused on taking care of her employees at LuthorCorp and making sure what remained of the company was taken care of. She revised her will, leaving most of her assets to various charities and gifting some things to dear friends.

Her ties to Earth were becoming weaker and weaker, as her ties to a future on Krypton became stronger. Lena had a hard time imagining any future without Kara, and that fact no longer scared her.

She thought back to her actions— and inaction— earlier in the day and groaned, rolling over and burying her face in the pillow. She knew the scent of Kara’s arousal pheromones so well by now that she could almost imagine them in her mind as she remembered how Kara felt against her, how it felt when she thrust her hips into Lena’s core. Lena had stopped her, in the office, but she had been tempted, _oh so tempted_ to let the Alpha continue.

She could imagine it far too easily. Kara stripping her down until she was naked atop her desk, Kara turning her around and bending her over the desk until her chest was pressed against the hard surface. Her hard nipples would be teased by the papers scattered there, just like they rubbed against her nightshirt now…

Lena’s eyes flew open as she realized where her train of thought had taken her, and she groaned into the pillow again, this time in frustration. The air was thick with the scent of her own arousal, which wasn’t that much of a surprise. In all honesty, she had been teetering on the edge of arousal ever since making out with Kara in her office.

Lena rolled over onto her back and sighed. Now that she was aware of it, the wetness in her panties only seemed to worsen. She was tempted to take care of business herself, but something about that just didn’t seem right. Her thoughts drifted to Kara, and she wondered how the Alpha would feel about Lena masturbating to the thought of her?

Then again, considering what Lena had read about Alphas in rut, she had a feeling Kara was doing the same thing. And she damn sure better be doing it to thoughts of Lena and not anybody else.

That mental image sent a thrill through Lena right down to her clit. She still remembered walking in on Kara naked— the image was seared into her brain. She remembered the golden skin, sleek muscles, abs she very much wanted to trace or, better yet, taste. And lower still…

Lena had read about Alpha anatomy even before she was collected— call it scientific curiosity. Male Alphas had all the private parts of a biological male human. For female Alphas, their genitalia looked much like a human female’s until puberty, at which time their clitoris developed into a penis. They still had a vestigial vagina that held some sensation, and an underdeveloped uterus that couldn’t support a growing fetus, and their sex cells could actually survive the temperatures inside their bodies, unlike human sperm. And they had very little body hair aside from the hair on their heads, so all of this was in plain view once they had their clothes off.

Lena knew all this, but seeing it and seeing it on Kara was a completely different thing entirely. Lena had seen her soft, but had felt the hardness of her beneath the fabric of her uniform. She could just imagine Kara now, hand wrapped around her cock, pleasuring herself, a gasp and a breathy whisper of _Lena_ on her lips.

Before Lena knew it, her own hand was down the front of her pajama bottoms, sliding beneath the elastic of her underwear, and into wet heat. She knew she was wet, but even Lena was surprised by how drenched she was, how easily her fingers slid through her folds. Her clit was hard and throbbing, so she circled it and imagined that it was Kara’s hands against her, Kara’s hands teasing and stroking. Her other hand went to her chest and she rubbed at her breasts through the shirt she wore, letting the silky fabric tease against her nipples.

Her imagination ran wild as she touched herself: Kara over her, chest to chest, breasts stroking against breasts as they moved; Kara’s long, deft fingers dipping low and bringing moisture up to circle and stroke at her clit; Kara, sweet, strong Kara, lining up their hips and thrusting in until she was buried to the hilt.

Lena cried out in elation and frustration as she slid two fingers in to the knuckles. It felt so good, but still not quite enough. She scissored her fingers as she thrust, stretching herself, until finally adding a third finger. She dropped her other hand from her breasts down to circle her clit as she thrust her fingers in and out, stroking up against the rigid flesh inside of her with every motion. In her mind she imagined it wasn’t her fingers stretching her but Kara’s thick cock, but she knew that it would stretch her even wider, hit even deeper with each thrust. Frustration mixed with pleasure as she chased her climax.

She knew Alphas developed a knot at the base of their dicks upon climaxing, and she couldn’t help but imagine what that might feel like, to be stretched impossibly wide and tied to Kara as she pumped her seed into her. She could almost imagine it, Kara straining above her, sweat-soaked blonde hair clinging to her as she came into Lena.

Lena’s orgasm hit with the force of a freight train. Lena bucked up into her hand, chasing the pleasure, as a cry that sounded startlingly similar to Kara’s name ripped from her throat. Every muscle in her body tensed as blissful shocks echoed from Lena’s center through her body all the way to the tips of her fingers.

When it finally ended, Lena collapsed into a heap onto the bed and gasped for much-needed air. She pulled her fingers free and wiped them against the sheets, then stood up and stepped into the bathroom to clean herself up. She changed into a fresh set of panties and pajamas that weren’t sweat- and sex-stained, then looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked absolutely debauched. Her skin was still flushed red down to her chest, her nipples still strained against her clean nightshirt, and her hair was a tangled mess around her face. Lena looked at herself with wide eyes for a moment before smiling and laughing slightly.

If she looked like this and felt like this after simply masturbating to the thought of Kara, she could only imagine what the real deal might be like.

——

“I do not understand the purpose of this game.”

Lena glanced up from where she was seated on the floor of James and Lucy’s quarters between Andrea and Winn. Winn kept jostling her as he maneuvered the plastic controller in his hands, as if somehow upper body movements would make him more successful. On his opposite side, Lucy was biting her lip as she focused on the screen.

It was Russ that had spoken, from his seat on the sofa behind them. Andrea leaned into his legs and hummed lightly as he stroked her hair.

“I’m beginning to see the appeal,” Alex said, brows furrowed as she watched the monitor on the wall intently. Beside her, James nodded in agreement. On the screen, two computer-generated go-karts raced around a pixelated track. Suddenly one hit what looked like a turtle-shell and spun around rapidly, allowing the other to overtake it.

“Ha! Gotcha!” Winn shouted victoriously.

“No fair!” Lucy shouted, face morphing into a pout. “I swear, you programmed this thing just so you could win. Stupid Koopa Troopas…”

“Nope, I wouldn’t let him,” Lena replied, taking a sip of her drink. When Winn had told her that the price of his silence was her assistance on programming a video game, she had agreed quickly. When she had realized he wanted to convert Mario Kart to play on the Kryptonian network, she had actually laughed out loud.

“Hey, I was just joking when I said that!” Winn exclaimed, then muttered, “Well, mostly joking.”

James plopped down on the floor beside Lucy. “Okay, somebody show me how this thing works.”

Lucy grinned at her mate. “Well, this is the controller…”

“Hey you! Help me up so I can get some more food,” Andrea said, poking Lena in the side.

Lena chuckled and stood, unfolding herself from her awkward position on the floor. She turned and grabbed Andrea’s hands in hers, then pulled her to her feet.

“Easy there, _mamacita_ ,” Lena giggled as she steadied a swaying Andrea.

“You try standing up fast when you’re carrying around a cantaloupe in your gut,” Andrea groaned. “I swear my center of gravity has shifted.”

“How much longer until you pop again?” Lena asked.

“Eight weeks,” Andrea groaned, rubbing the side of her belly. “But according to Alex, he’s a big boy, so I could go early.”

“Is it safe for him to be born while we’re traveling through space?” Lena asked as they loaded their plates down with the snack foods on James and Lucy’s dining table.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t, Lena,” Andrea reminded her. “Kryptonians have been having babies during space travel for centuries, apparently. Because mated pairs usually travel together, it’s normal for them. They have everything we could possibly need stocked in the medbay in case of an emergency. And they also have pain medication, which I will be using. Liberally.”

Lena giggled at that, and watched as Lucy coached James through his first round of Mario Kart. Then she turned to Andrea.

“I never imagined either of us as mothers, when we were younger,” she said. “But I know you’re going to be an amazing mom.”

“You will be too, someday,” Andrea replied, “if that’s what you want.”

Lena bit her lip. “I think I do, actually.”

“Good,” Andrea said, patting her belly. “Because this one’s gonna need a best friend, got it?”

Lena chuckled. “Got it.”

“Kara El requests entry.”

Lena quickly turned toward the door at the robotic voice’s announcement.

“Let her in,” Lucy shouted absentmindedly, still staring at the screen. “Ooo, dodge that!”

Kara entered the room looking far from the captain that Lena knew. She wore soft stretchy pants and a loose gray henley-style shirt, and her hair was freshly washed and pinned back from her face with just a few loose tendrils. She looked soft and sleepy and all Lena wanted to do was wrap her in a tight hug— so she did.

“Hey, stranger,” she said softly as her arms tucked around the Alpha’s waist.

“Hey to you,” Kara said, kissing the top of her head softly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Lena admitted. She turned and placed a soft kiss on Kara’s jaw, and then the Alpha turned and kissed her fully on the lips, all sweet and soft and wonderful.

“Ew! Get a room!” Alex shouted.

“We are in a room!” Kara shouted back petulantly.

“Yeah, but it’s _my_ room!” Lucy shouted. Kara just stuck her tongue out at her friends.

“Settle down, children!” Winn teased as he pushed himself up out of the floor.

“Winn!” Kara shouted, reluctantly releasing Lena to hug the human tightly. “Oh my gosh, what are you doing on my ship?”

“There was a little technical issue, but we got it all worked out,” Winn said, exchanging a glance with Lena. “Plus, while I was here I got your girlfriend to help me finish converting my video game so…”

“You got it working?” Kara exclaimed excitedly.

“Technically Lena got it working,” Winn admitted.

Kara looked at Lena like she had just solved world hunger. “Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.”

Lena blushed. “It was just code.”

“Does that mean you’ll finally teach me how to play?” Kara asked Winn. Then a thought occurred to her. “Wait, Lena, do you know how to play?” 

“Winn beat me earlier, but yes, I know how to play,” Lena said.

“Then you can teach me!” Kara declared happily.

“Oh, I see how it is,” Winn said. “Pretty girl shows up and suddenly your best human friend is just chopped liver, huh?”

Kara frowned. “What does this have to do with liver?”

Lena chuckled, but in moments it turned into full belly laughter. She wrapped an arm around Kara’s waist and pulled her in.

“God, I missed you,” she said again. “What if Winn and I both show you the ropes. He can have the first game against you since he’s known you the longest, and then you and I can play. Sound good?”

“Sounds awesome,” Kara said excitedly. She looked toward the table. “But wait, is that food? Did you guys get those potsticker things that Jola’s mate Liang Ju makes in the kitchens? You better have saved me some!”

Lena kept her arms wrapped around Kara as she loaded down a plate and sat in front of the monitor. Winn began giving her the rundown on the basics of Mario Kart, and the Alpha watched intently with full cheeks looking something like a chipmunk. Around them, the other mated couples sat on the sofa, chatting and watching them play. It was the most comfortable Lena had felt in months, since even before she was brought aboard the ship.

It felt like home.

She could get used to this.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As usual, this got a little out of hand.

“So what did you think?”

It was a silly question really, based on the goofy grin on Kara’s face as she spread out like a starfish on Lena’s bed.

“I _loved_ it,” she gushed, beaming up at Lena. “It was so good and sweet and the ending… So much better than _Titanic_.”

“Hey, take that back!” Lena exclaimed, smacking the Kryptonian with a pillow.

“Can’t take it back if it’s true!” Kara argued, shielding herself with her arms. “Tell me the truth, which ending is better, _The Princess Bride_ or _Titanic_?”

“Neither,” Lena answered seriously. “They’re just so different, it’s impossible to choose.”

“Well I choose the happily ever after,” Kara said, rolling over onto her stomach. “I like happily ever after.”

Lena grinned even though Kara couldn’t see her. She loved Kara like this— relaxed and content. But these moments were becoming few and far between as the Collection drew closer.

It felt like time had sped up since Kara’s rut. The ship bustled with new energy as the date of the actual Collection drew near. Dormitory-like quarters were prepared for the women and people rushed around to make sure everything from food to toiletries were stocked, even purchasing some shipments from Earth. Communications were made between the ships and the Collection Bureaus on Earth to make sure the process was proceeding as expected. Beyond that, the ship was made ready for the return trip to Krypton, which would begin just a few days after the human women came aboard. Engines were checked to make sure they were all in perfect shape to make the interstellar voyage. They would travel without stopping for two months before they reached Argo.

It was an anxious time for everyone, but particularly for Kara, whose position as Captain made her supervisor over all of the preparations and put any failure squarely on her shoulders. She was good at her job— Lena had seen that from the many times she helped in her office, looking over reports of things that she could understand and assist with— but Lena could also see the stress she carried. Lena was not immune to the buzz of anxiety, from her own secret project of trying to get her affairs on Earth in order before they departed, her general unease about the Collection process as a whole, and the idea of starting a whole new life in an unknown world with all the complications that came with it.

All of that made these nights together so wonderful. They still carved out time for dates, and they seemed to have an unspoken agreement that they would spend their time doing the least-stressful things they could find to do on the ship. Several nights that meant Lena found an Earth movie from the ship’s network and introduced it to Kara, and they made themselves comfortable either on Lena’s bed or Kara’s sofa to watch it. Kara had actually seen many of the movies— they were a critical part to learning Earth languages, apparently, and Winn had introduced her to several nerd-classics throughout the years of their friendship— but Lena was making sure they saw plenty of romances and dramas as well.

Kara groaned, bringing Lena’s attention back to the present. She had her face buried between Lena’s pillows, and the muscles of her shoulders tensed beneath the tank top she was wearing. Lena couldn’t resist reaching out and rubbing at the soft-golden skin on display.

“You’re a little tense, Captain,” she said, digging her fingers into one particularly tight muscle.

Kara groaned again, then sighed as the muscle released. “Just a bit. Rao, that feels good.”

An idea suddenly occurred to Lena. “Well, if that feels good, I could give you a massage?”

Kara turned her head slightly, looking up at Lena. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t mind,” Lena said. “Just take your top off and I’ll go get some lotion.”

She hopped off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom before her mind could catch up with her. She grabbed a bottle of lotion with coconut oil from the cabinet and then made her way back to the bedroom.

Kara was still lying on her front, but her shirt was in a heap beside her on the bed. She shifted a bit uncomfortably until Lena ran a hand down her back.

“You don’t have to do this,” Kara said as she shivered slightly.

“Kara, I want to help you relax,” Lena said. “Do you want me to do this?”

“I— Yes,” Kara said bashfully, and buried her face back into the pillow.

Lena chuckled as she squeezed a dollop of lotion between her palms and held it to warm it up. “Don’t worry, Captain. You’re not making me do anything I’m uncomfortable with, and I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. Okay?”

Lena heard a muffled _Okay_ from the pillows, but it was quickly swallowed by a groan as Lena began rubbing at Kara’s shoulders. Lena grinned as she rubbed the lotion into Kara’s skin, then began massaging into the muscles below. She was nowhere near a professional masseuse, but Kara didn’t seem to mind. She slowly relaxed under Lena’s touch, her groans turning to sighs into the pillow as Lena pressed into the tense muscles, using more strength than she ever would’ve dared on a human.

For her part, Lena certainly didn’t mind the opportunity to run her hands over soft, golden skin and ripped muscles. She had never considered herself shallow, but damn if Kara’s physique didn’t call to her on a primal level, and she couldn’t even blame the Omega genes they had added to her DNA. As Lena moved further down to Kara’s lower back she moved to straddle the Kryptonian, thighs on either side of Kara’s glutes so that she could put even pressure on both sides of her spine.

“Is this okay?” Lena asked before moving her palms in firm circles over Kara’s lower spine.

“Yeah,” Kara breathed, her breath hitching slightly. Suddenly a low rumbling sound erupted from her throat and she tensed until the sound stopped.

Lena froze. “Kara… Were you _purring_?”

“Um… maybe?” Kara said shyly.

Lena resumed the movement of her hands. “Do it again.”

Kara relaxed beneath her, and a moment later the rumbling sound began again. It was a slightly different timbre than a cat’s purr, almost breathy, and only sounded when Kara exhaled.

“Do you always do that when you’re relaxed?” Lena asked.

“Um… Not when I’m relaxed, exactly,” Kara replied, speaking into the pillow again.

Lena’s brow furrowed, puzzled for a moment, before a thought occurred to her. “Roll over.”

“What?” Kara exclaimed, and the purring suddenly stopped.

“Roll over so I can get your front,” Lena said simply.

“I’m, um, not sure if that’s such a good idea,” Kara said sheepishly.

“Kara, just roll,” Lena said, moving aside so she was no longer sitting astride the Kryptonian.

Kara sighed resignedly, then pushed herself up and over. Lena looked down Kara’s body, taking in the slight flush on her face that went down her neck to her chest, the stiff peaks of her nipples, her tense abs, and, in her pajama bottoms, an impressive tent.

“So you purr when you’re aroused,” Lena surmised.

Kara nodded, staring at the ceiling. Lena looked her up and down once more and swallowed hard before putting on her most serious business face. She pumped another dollop of lotion between her hands and moved to straddle Kara.

Kara growled low in her throat. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”

Lena moved her hands to the Alpha’s shoulders and ran her thumbs along the clavicles, massaging the muscles with her fingertips. “Do you want me to stop?”

Kara was quiet for a long moment as Lena continued to gently massage her shoulders. She looked up at the ceiling before screwing her eyes shut. “No, Rao help me, I don’t want you to stop.”

Lena grinned like the cat that ate the canary. “What do you want me to do then?”

“Touch me,” Kara whined. “Anywhere, everywhere, just… keep doing what you’re doing.”

Lena couldn’t help herself. She bent down and kissed Kara deeply as her hands drifted lower. She traced down Kara’s sternum before moving her hands up and out. Kara hissed into her mouth as Lena palmed her breasts and pinched her nipples slightly between her fingers. The purring sound began anew as Lena stroked and pulled at the sensitive flesh. Kara groaned in complaint when Lena’s hands finally began trailing lower. She ran her fingernails lightly over Kara’s abdomen, making her tense the muscles there even further, before she stroked her slick palms down, dipping her thumb into Kara’s belly button as she went.

When Lena’s fingers teased at the waistband of her pants, Kara gasped, breaking the kiss. Lena looked up into blue eyes as she plucked at the stretchy fabric of Kara’s pajamas.

“Can I?” she asked, slipping one finger beneath the waistband to clarify her intention.

“You don’t have to,” Kara said quickly.

Lena bent and kissed Kara’s cheek. “I know I don’t have to, Kara. But I want to. I want to see you… touch you.”

Kara whimpered and her hips bucked at the thought.

“If you want to, yeah,” Kara said.

“What do you want me to do?” Lena asked, repeating her question from earlier.

Kara’s answer was the same. “Touch me.”

Lena sat back and used both hands to reach for the waistband of Kara’s pants. She pulled them halfway down the Kryptonian’s thighs, so that her cock could bounce free of its confines. Lena’s mouth went dry at the sight.

“Can I—?”

“Please,” Kara whimpered, hips thrusting up into the air.

Lena wrapped her lotion-slick hand around the length of Kara’s cock and the Kryptonian groaned. Lena’s eyes darted back and forth from her stroking hand to Kara’s face as she moved, pumping slowly up and down Kara’s considerable length. Kara wasn’t unnaturally large, as some rumors about Kryptonians had said, but she wasn’t small by any stretch of the imagination. Lena’s fingers struggled to meet around her girth as she stroked. She ran her thumb over the weeping tip and used the precum she gathered to lubricate her hand as she continued moving.

“Lena,” Kara gasped, blue eyes screwed shut. She bit her lip as her hips thrust into Lena’s hand, and her fists grasped tightly at the bedsheets. Lena bent over and kissed Kara’s cheek, then dragged her lips along her cheek and jaw even as her hand continued working.

“Is this good?” Lena asked, squeezing lightly near the base of Kara’s cock. She could already feel how the skin there was beginning to stretch into the beginning of Kara’s knot.

“So good,” Kara whimpered. “‘M close… Lena.”

“That’s alright, darling,” Lena said, pressing her body closer to Kara’s side. She could feel her own hard nipples beneath her nightshirt and they pressed into Kara’s arm.

“Want… to… last,” Kara groaned as Lena squeezed again. “Can’t… Just…”

Lena sucked at the skin on Kara’s neck and the result was instantaneous. The Alpha stiffened as if lightning had struck her, and the flesh beneath Lena’s hand, at the base of her cock, inflated with a sudden rush of blood. Kara yelped and grabbed for the shirt she had stripped off minutes before, moving the fabric in front of her cock to catch her release. The muscles beneath Lena’s lips strained as Kara came and came, her release rocking her entire body. Finally she relaxed back into the mattress with a sigh, gently knocking Lena’s hand away as she moved the stained shirt away.

Lena grinned and snuggled closer to Kara’s side, pressing small kisses to her jaw. It took several minutes before she regained her senses, and finally Kara looked down at her with a look of shock and awe.

“Lena,” she said, her voice that soft, reverent tone she normally used for speaking of her god. “Lena…”

“Good?” Lena asked, though she already knew the answer.

Suddenly Kara rolled until Lena was on her back and Kara was positioned above her. Lena tensed for a moment, mind flashing back to the last time someone had pinned her to this bed, before she reminded herself that this was Kara.

“So good,” Kara replied, nuzzling Lena’s neck. She kissed the freckle there, then moved her lips lower, placing gentle kisses and nips to the place Lena knew she wanted to leave her mark. “Wanna make you feel good too.”

Cumming hadn’t quelled Kara’s desire at all, it seemed, because her cock was still hard and it pressed into the seam of Lena’s own pajamas as Kara circled her hips against Lena’s. Kara captured Lena’s lips in a kiss as her hands skimmed Lena’s sides, up to her breasts. Kara traced the gentle curve of one with her fingertips as her tongue began stroking into Lena’s mouth in imitation of what she wanted to do with other body parts.

Lena groaned into Kara’s touch. She wanted the Alpha, that much was certain. They had danced around this for weeks, kissing and touching but never quite taking it this far. Her body definitely responded to Kara’s, to the spicy scent that filled the air around them and to the adept movements of Kara’s muscular physique against her softer frame. And she certainly had feelings for the blonde Alpha, for her strength and sweetness.

But when Kara’s hand moved beneath Lena’s shirt and began pressing for more skin, Lena froze. She stiffened even as Kara stroked gently over the soft skin of her waist, even as Kara’s kisses gentled against her lips and her hips slowed to a stop.

“Lena,” Kara said softly.

“‘M sorry,” Lena said quickly. “I can’t… I just…”

“Shh, hey,” Kara cooed, moving quickly off of Lena and onto the bed. Suddenly the air around Lena felt cold. She wrapped her arms around herself, then turned, snuggling into Kara’s bare chest for warmth. Kara stroked up and down her back in soothing circles. “It’s okay.”

Lena sniffled against Kara’s collarbone. “I want you, I do. It’s just…”

“Is it what Ty Vel did?” Kara asked.

Lena shook her head. “No, not exactly. I mean that’s part of it, but…”

Kara pulled back and looked at her, but Lena couldn’t meet her eyes. She didn’t know how to explain. She didn’t know how to explain that even though she wanted Kara, had feelings for Kara, might even love Kara, she still hadn’t _chosen_ Kara. She hadn’t chosen to come here. And while she forgave Kara for what she had done because she had saved Lena’s life in the process, there was still a small voice in the back of her mind that couldn’t let go.

Kara didn’t seem to need an explanation. She simply nodded and hugged Lena tight and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I’m gonna go wash up, okay?” she said, pulling out of Lena’s embrace.

Lena watched as she padded into the bathroom, then moved to tuck herself beneath the covers. The slick between her thighs was still there and annoying, but she resolved that after Kara left she wouldn’t take care of it on her own. Suddenly the thought of being left in the room alone was daunting, and another shiver, this time not from cold, passed down Lena’s spine.

Kara emerged from the bathroom wearing one of Lena’s sleep shirts, her own dripping wet in her hand from being washed out in the sink.

“I should go,” she said softly, looking around awkwardly.

“No,” Lena said before she could think better of it. She pulled the covers back and looked at Kara beseechingly. “Stay.”

Kara contemplated Lena’s offer for a long moment. Then she tossed her wet shirt to the floor and slid beneath the covers. She got comfortable, then looked up at Lena. Without a word they both moved together, adjusting until they were wrapped around each other and comfortable. Lena sighed into Kara’s sternum.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “Good night.”

Kara sighed. “Good night, Lena.”

——

“You know, when we get back to Argo, you’re welcome to help with my project.”

Lena looked up from the device she was working on to where Andrea was sitting across the workbench from her and gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Maybe,” she said and then looked back down at her work.

A few minutes passed before Andrea sighed heavily. “Okay, you’ve been staring at that piece for five minutes and haven’t done anything with it. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Lena looked up again sharply. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re not focused,” Andrea said. “Your body's here but your mind is somewhere else.”

Lena set the device she was working on down onto the table. “I’ve just… I’ve been thinking a lot, lately, about what comes next, about life on Argo. And I want to be happy there, I do, and I’m trying, but…”

“But what?” Andrea said gently.

“But there’s still part of me that can’t let go, okay?” Lena said, her voice louder than she meant. She drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m not mad, not at Kara, not at the Kryptonians, but I’m just… I can’t get over the fact that we’re not given a choice to come here. I’m so angry that we’re just chosen at random and sent away with no option to go back. I mean… aren’t you angry? You have the sharpest temper of anyone I know, Andy, how are you not furious?”

Andrea sighed. “I am, Lena, trust me, I am. I don’t show it because I’ve had years to accept how things are. When I found out I was pregnant, I got so angry and sad that my father would never see his grandchild that I cried for days, Russ was afraid he would have to take me to the medbay because I wouldn’t eat. So I get it, I do. I think we all carry this simmering anger at what’s been done to us, but we try to shove it down in an attempt to be happy with the lives we have now.”

Lena bit her lip. “I’m not sure I can do that.”

Andrea reached across the table for Lena’s hand. “I’m sorry, Lena. There’s a selfish part of me that’s glad to have my best friend with me again, but I’m also sorry that you have to leave everything.”

“It’s not even like I had much to leave,” Lena scoffed. “My mother and brother are both in jail, my company was failing. My life here will probably be infinitely happier than my life would’ve been on Earth. But my mind still won’t let it go.”

Andrea opened her mouth to speak, but before she could the door to the lab slid open. Kara rushed in and looked around frantically before her eyes landed on Lena.

“Kara? What’s wrong?” Lena asked, reading her expression.

“Astra has summoned both of us to the control room,” she said quickly. “I was helping with supply intake when I received word. We’re both supposed to report immediately.”

Lena frowned as she stood. “Why would she summon me? Did I make a mistake when I was assisting you with your reports?”

“I don’t think so, but I don’t know,” Kara said breathlessly. “I just know she sounded very angry. I don’t think we should keep her waiting.”

Lena said a quick goodbye to Andrea and then followed Kara through the hallways toward the control room. She racked her brain, trying to think of what Astra might possibly want with them. Then, as they approached the control room doors, she saw the back of Winn’s head as she entered ahead of them.

She stopped abruptly, heart hammering in her chest. “Kara?”

The Alpha, who had taken several strides ahead of her, turned back to her. “Lena, we should hurry…”

“Kara, you need to know something,” Lena said quickly, reaching for Kara’s hand and pulling her back.

“You’re scaring me,” Kara said softly as she looked down at Lena’s wide eyes.

“I love you,” Lena said quickly. “You need to know that, okay?”

Kara’s jaw dropped. “Lena, I— What have you done?”

Lena shook her head. “It doesn’t matter… Well, it does, and you’re going to find out, but I want you to know that I never did anything with the intention of hurting you.” Lena’s voice softened. “I love you, okay?”

“Okay,” Kara said softly. “I lo—“

“Kara.”

General Astra’s voice was barely more than a whisper, but it sent a chill down Lena’s spine. Kara froze mid-sentence, then turned toward where her aunt stood in the doorway of the control room.

“Aunt Astra,” she said beseechingly.

“ _General_ Astra,” the older Alpha corrected. “Bring the Omega to me, Captain. We have much to discuss.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cause and effect.

Lena stared at the monitors in the ship’s control room. A few were still displaying info about the ship’s functions, but most were showing news broadcasts from Earth.

It was chaos.

Protests had erupted around the globe. People were being arrested left and right. Political leaders, both national and global, were meeting. Armed forces were being rallied.

And everywhere, women were doing everything they could to avoid the Collection Bureaus. Some were fleeing their home countries, some were barricading themselves inside their homes, some were investing in legal teams to argue tooth and nail against the process. But everywhere women were refusing to peacefully go along with the process any longer.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Astra demanded, gesturing toward the screens.

“It’s about damn time, honestly,” Lena said, crossing her arms. “It took them until the final Collection to stand up and do something. What was different this time?”

“You were.”

Lena looked around to where Kara was pointing to a screen. She looked at Winn with bright eyes and he pressed a control panel and suddenly the newscast it showed sounded throughout the room.

“Communications were received from Lena Luthor, sister of infamous anti-Kryptonian terrorist Lex Luthor. Lena Luthor, has been held captive on one of the Kryptonian vessels for the last seven weeks, after a member of their royal family subverted Collection protocol in order to take Luthor on board. This has prompted the removal of the head of the Collection, Secretary Emmet Vance, and investigations into illegal bribery within the Collection system.”

Kara switched to another newscast.

“—Lena Luthor, revealed that the Kryptonians provided researchers at the CDC a method of treating cancerous tumors over ten years ago, but further investigation revealed billions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies being paid to delay further research into the process and its effectiveness on humans—“

“—Former President Olstead refused to comment on whether Luthor’s accusations that Kryptonians wanted to allow their human mates to return to Earth for visitation were valid.”

“Protests demanding that Lena Luthor and all women who have been victims of the Collection be allowed to return home have erupted across the United States and spread to Australia, Japan, China, Russia, and several European countries—“

“Oh my god,” Lena said.

“I’ll ask again, Miss Luthor, do you have anything to say for yourself?” Astra demanded.

Lena straightened her spine. “I won’t repeat what I’ve said before, General. At our first meeting I asked to be allowed to return to Earth, and you refused. I told you that I had been given no time to set my affairs in order, and you gave me no recourse. So I used the tablet that Kara gave me to hack into the ship’s network and find a way to contact Earth. I messaged my assistant at LuthorCorp and my attorneys.”

“Did you instruct them to go to the press?” Astra asked.

“No, but I didn’t tell them not to, either,” Lena replied. “I’m not surprised that they did, though. A story like this is huge.”

“ _A story like this_ , as you put it, could ruin us,” Astra declared furiously. “This is the final Collection, as far as we know, but we cannot be certain. The children that have been born to Kryptonians and humans have not yet presented as Alphas or Omegas, and there is no test we can perform to know what they will be. If our children are only Alphas, then…”

“Then you have only delayed the inevitable extinction of your species,” Lena concluded. “And I know that your people are desperate, General. But human women should not be forced to leave everything they know just because your species is dying. There has to be another way.”

“I agree, but this has caused chaos,” Astra growled, gesturing at the screens.

“Sometimes that’s what it takes,” Lena said. “And I’m sorry that the Kryptonians will also have to deal with the fallout from this. From what Kara has told me and what I have seen, Kryptonians are open to allowing humans to visit Argo and Kryptonians and their mates visiting Earth. I made it clear in my communications that they needed to show that it was politicians from Earth who decided that wouldn’t be allowed. But that’s something that needs to change. Andrea wants her father to meet his grandson, and they should be able to do that. And if Alphas still need to mate with human women, they should be allowed to go to Earth or women come to Argo to meet and court, not forced. If my actions have spurred the people on Earth to eventually change those policies, then I don’t regret it, even if it causes chaos.”

Astra stared at her for a long moment. “On one hand, Miss Luthor, I admire your tenacity. I can’t say that I disagree with your desires. But the fact remains that your actions have threatened this mission. I’ll have to send a report to the Kryptonian Council. They will decide what to do with you.”

“Of course,” Lena replied. “I understand.”

“You’re dismissed,” Astra said, looking between Kara and Lena.

Lena turned and walked from the room. As the doors slid closed behind them, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

“That wasn’t quite as bad as I was expecting, actually,” she said. When Kara didn’t reply she opened her eyes and looked at the Kryptonian.

Kara’s expression was stony. Her eyes sparkled like pale sapphires as she looked at Lena.

“Why didn’t you tell me what you were doing?” she asked, her voice soft but hard.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” Lena replied honestly. “I wasn’t trying to get away from you, Kara. I just wanted to get my affairs together on Earth. I thought that if I could set things right there, then maybe I could truly be happy here.”

“And are you? Happy here?” Kara asked, her voice lilting with the tiniest bit of hope.

“I think—“ Lena’s voice cracked at the lie she almost told. She swallowed hard and looked down at her feet. “I don’t know. I’m trying, Kara, I really am. You… _You_ make me happy. But there’s still a part of me that’s angry that my choices were taken away. Not angry at you, just angry at the system.”

“It’s going to eat at you forever, isn’t it?” Kara asked. “This anger at not having a choice. You’re going to carry it for the rest of your life.”

Lena swallowed hard. “I’ve talked to other Omegas on this ship, Kara. I think it eats at all of us. Even Lucy, and Andrea, as happy as they are and as much as they try to hide it, they feel it. That’s why I contacted Earth. I didn’t want to get away from you, that wasn’t my goal. But this needs to change.”

Kara nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just… I still don’t know what I can do to change it.”

“I know,” Lena said. She reached for Kara’s hand, but the Alpha pulled away.

“I need to finish overseeing the supply intake,” she said, her voice low.

“Alright. But I’ll see you at dinner?” Lena asked.

“Probably,” Kara replied, turning and hurrying away.

As Lena watched her disappear around the corner, she had a sudden sense that she might’ve ruined everything.

——

Two days later, Lena was absolutely certain she had ruined everything. Kara had refused to speak to her. She was polite about her brush-offs, but Lena got the hint quickly. The rest of the crew gave Lena the cold shoulder, though some of the human mates looked at her with an empathetic expression. And, to make it all worse, according to the newscasts she could pick up, the final Collection was scheduled to happen as planned in spite of massive public outcry, and Lena worried that once the women were gone, arguments for allowing them to visit would be dropped— out of sight, out of mind, as it were.

It wasn’t until breakfast three days before the Collection was scheduled to begin that Kara approached her again. Lena followed Andrea and Russ into the dining hall for breakfast with her head held high, even though inside she felt like a piece of chewing gum that had been chewed up and spit out again. She maintained her composure as she filled her plate and took her seat, leaning into Andrea’s side for comfort. She had just finished eating when a shadow fell across her plate and the sound of a throat clearing drew her attention. She looked up to see Kara standing over them with a sheepish but determined expression on her face.

“Winn is about to leave to return to his ship,” the Alpha told her. “I thought you might want to go say goodbye. We won’t see him again until we return to Argo.”

Lena wiped her face and glanced around at Andrea and Russ before looking back at Kara.

“I’d love to,” she said, standing. She followed a step behind Kara as they exited the dining hall and headed toward a service lift.

“You know Winn didn’t tell Astra about your hacking?” Kara asked. “She found out from the newscasts. He didn’t even tell _me_.”

“I know, Kara,” Lena said.

They were both silent for the rest of the walk through the ship. Kara led Lena to an area she had never visited before, a massive docking station just inside the ship’s hull. The room was the size of a football field at least, and rows upon rows of silvery pods were lined up inside. Lena stared at them in awe.

“What are those?” she asked.

“Emergency escape pods,” Kara replied. “If the ship fails, these will take the ship’s occupants to the nearest planet. They’re also used for traveling between two ships and making repairs to the ship’s hull, if necessary.”

They made their way through the rows of pods until they were almost to the hull. Winn was standing dressed in what Lena could only describe as a spacesuit, an airmask dangling around his neck, speaking with a muscular male Alpha. As they approached, Kara inclined her head to the other Alpha.

“Captain,” Kara said, then grinned. “How are you, Bruce?”

“Doing well,” the Kryptonian said. “My mate is keeping me on my toes, but I hear yours is doing the same.”

Lena blushed and Kara looked at her sheepishly. “Lena isn’t my mate, Bruce. We’re only courting.”

“My apologies,” the Alpha said, looking from Kara to Lena. “I shouldn’t have assumed. My name is Bruce of House Wayne, Miss Luthor.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Captain,” Lena greeted. She looked at Winn, who was looking at her anxiously. “C’mere you.”

Winn hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Lena. I tried to convince Astra to change her mind, so did Kara, but…”

“It’s not your fault, Winn. It’ll all be okay,” Lena assured him, though she wasn’t sure she believed it.

“I’ll see you on Argo?” he asked.

Lena nodded. “See you on Argo.”

Winn turned to Kara and pulled her into a tight hug. She whispered something to him, and his eyes widened but he didn’t say anything in return, just looked from her to Lena with an anxious expression.

“We should go, Mr. Schott,” Bruce said, turning on his heel and climbing into the nearest pod.

“You know, Captain, you can call me Winn,” he said, grabbing his bag and clambering into the pod with much less grace than the Kryptonian.

Once they were both inside, the top of the pod slid closed and both Bruce and Winn fastened their air masks onto their faces. Winn waved back to them as the pod slid away, into an airlock that slid closed behind the ship. With a sudden burst the pod was flung into space, hurtling away from the ship toward another identical ship hovering somewhere else above the Earth.

Lena stared at the airlock with wide eyes, mind buzzing with curiosity. It was her first up-close encounter with a spaceship, and her first instinct was to find a garage somewhere and take it apart piece by piece to analyze exactly how it worked and then put it back together again.

“So… Would you like a closer look?” Kara asked suddenly.

Lena twitched, startled. “What?”

Kara smiled a soft but tense smile. “Come here, I’ll show you.”

She grabbed Lena by the wrist and pulled her over to the nearest pod where she placed Lena’s hand against the cool metal. The pod slid open, revealing space for two or three people to fit inside.

“Once you’re in, you just press this,” Kara said, skimming her hand over a small control panel in front. “They’re all programmed to use autopilot to go to the nearest planet— in this case Earth— unless you switch to manual overdrive. Whatever you do, don’t press the yellow button, press the green one.”

Lena nodded, though she hoped there was never an emergency that would require her to use this information. Kara stared at her expectantly.

“Green button, got it,” Lena said. “Easy enough to remember.”

Kara nodded, then pulled her hand away from the pod. It slid closed again and Kara took Lena’s hand in her own before quickly pulling her across the room.

“Did you see the suits Winn and Bruce were wearing?” she asked quickly, her voice slightly frantic.

“Yes,” Lena replied, voice thick with confusion.

Kara opened a door to another room, this one filled with rows of spacesuits hanging on racks.

“The pods are insulated, but entering a planet’s atmosphere can still get hot,” she said. “You need to wear one of these to prevent overheating. And in case the pod fails in some way it can protect you from serious burns, and the mask will provide oxygen in case the pod is breached somehow. Okay?”

“Okay,” Lena replied.

“So make sure you have on a suit when you’re in the pod,” Kara said slowly, as if talking to a small child.

“Okay, Kara, I get it,” Lena said, reaching up to stroke Kara’s cheek. “If there’s an emergency and we have to evacuate, I come here and put on a suit and get in a pod, I get it.”

“Yeah,” Kara said softly, leaning into Lena’s hand, “an emergency.”

Lena cupped Kara’s jaw. “What’s gotten into you? Hmm? What are you so afraid of?”

Kara looked away for a moment, then looked back at Lena with sad eyes.

“I don’t wanna lose you,” she said, pulling Lena close and holding her tightly.

“You’re not gonna lose me, silly Alpha,” Lena said, reaching up and pulling Kara’s face down into a light kiss. “I know you’re upset about what I did, but can you forgive me?”

Kara’s face twisted in a wry smile. “There’s nothing to forgive. In fact, part of me admires you for it. I’ve spent years wishing I could change the way the Collection worked on Earth but too afraid to do anything, too stupid to realize what needed to be done. I don’t know if you intended to change things, Lena, but you’ve sparked something. In a way, I’m proud of you.”

Lena beamed up at the Kryptonian. Kara bent and kissed her again, and this time it felt almost worshipful. When she pulled away, Kara stared down at her reverently.

“I love you, Lena,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “You were right, you know. When I brought you on board this ship, I didn’t know you. I loved an idea of you. But now I think I do know you. I know scary movies make you cry even more than sad ones. I know you’re ruthlessly competitive but will also take time to teach others how to compete. I know you’re generous and kind and funny. I know you’re cuddly, which was honestly a surprise. I know you wake up early but you can’t really function until you’ve had coffee. I know you’re grumpy when you’re sleepy, but I still think you’re adorable. I love you when you’re angry and fierce and I love you when you’re calm and soft. I love making you smile. I love holding you until you fall asleep. I love that I feel more myself in your presence more than when I’m with anyone else. I just… I love you. It’s the simplest and most fantastic thing I’ve ever felt. And I want you to know that.”

“K— Kara,” Lena stammered, thrown off guard by the sudden declaration. She searched for words, but nothing would come. She grasped Kara tightly by the arms. “I love you, too. I do.”

Kara smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I know you do.”

She bent and kissed Lena again and again, as if she were trying to commit the sensation to memory. Lena’s brain short circuited at the sensation, and all she could do was hold on to Kara’s shoulders for dear life.

——

“Another summons from the General can’t be good.”

Andrea’s words flashed through Lena’s mind as she followed the Kelex robot through the halls of the ship. She had spent most of the day with Kara, until the Alpha was summoned during dinner. An hour later, Lena had been in Andrea and Russ’s quarters when a summons had arrived for her.

The control room was quiet when she entered. Kara stood off to one side, and she refused to meet Lena’s eye as she drew closer. Astra stood in the center of the room, a stoic expression on her face.

“You summoned me, General Astra?” Lena said in greeting.

Astra nodded. “We received a transmission from Earth yesterday afternoon. I thought you would like to hear it.”

Kara pressed a button on a control panel, and a stiff, recorded voice filled the air. “By order of the United States Collection Bureau, Lena Luthor’s status as _Collected_ has been removed. Her United States citizenship has been reinstated. She is allowed to return to Earth for visitation or for permanent residence.”

The recording ended, and all Lena could hear was her heart pounding in her chest. She stared wide-eyed at Kara across the room as the ramifications of the declaration set in.

She could go home.

Before the elation could truly set in, Astra was speaking again.

“I’ve been in communication with the High Council on Argo,” the General said. “I have informed them of your actions and their effects on the Collection procedures. I have also informed them of this transmission. Their verdict stands thus: Lena Luthor, upon return to Argo you will be presented to the Council for trial.”

Lena blinked, pulled from her thoughts. “What? But… that recording…”

“Your government may allow you to return to Earth, but the Kryptonian Council will not,” Astra told her. “For hacking into the ship’s network and sending sensitive information to human sources, information that could be used to attack our vessels, you will be arrested and tried upon return to Argo.”

Lena bristled. “You can’t—“

“They can,” Astra said. “As soon as you received the genetic modification, you became a citizen of Argo, whether or not you hold citizenship on Earth or not. You are therefore subject to the Kryptonian justice system.”

“That’s not—“

“Arguing with me is pointless, Miss Luthor,” Astra said sadly. “I am merely communicating the orders from the Council to you. As much as I sympathize with your plight personally, I am first and foremost a soldier and a subject of my government. I will do my duty and present you to the Council when we return to Argo.”

Lena glared at Astra hard enough she could’ve shot laser beams from her eyes. She turned on her heel and exited the control room before releasing a scream of anguish and pent-up anger in the hallway.

“Lena?”

She turned quickly to find Kara standing just inches behind her. She huffed angrily, turning and pacing away from the Kryptonian.

“She can’t do this,” Lena ranted. “ _They_ can’t do this! If the United States government is willing to reinstate my citizenship, she can’t keep me captive. There’s got to be a way, if I can just contact my attorneys again—“

“Do you want to leave?”

Lena turned back to Kara. “That seems kind of moot at this point, Kara, don’t you think?”

“Not to me,” Kara said softly. “Do you want to leave?”

Lena bit her lip. “I don’t… I mean… I don’t know, Kara, okay?”

“How can you not know?” Kara asked.

“It doesn’t matter what I want, though, does it?” Lena demanded. “No matter what I do or you do or anybody else does, I’m trapped here. I don’t get a choice. I’ve tried to make the most of it, I really have. I want to be happy here. I think I could be happy here, or on Argo, with you. I want to be. But I can’t… I just… How am I supposed to be happy when all I feel is anger over having my choices taken from me?”

Lena turned away from Kara angrily, then turned back around just as quickly. “And you! Why didn’t you tell me about the transmission from Earth? It came yesterday afternoon, so you had to know about it earlier today.”

Kara’s jaw clenched. “Yes, I knew about it. But I also knew Astra was contacting the Council about it. I didn’t want to get your hopes up in case they made this decision.”

Lena huffed at that. She couldn’t be angry, really, but she still felt as if Kara had kept something very important from her. She reached up and rubbed her temples.

“I’m going back to my quarters,” she said softly. “I just… I need time to think, I need to be alone.”

“Okay,” Kara said, her voice laced with sadness. “Lena?”

Lena looked up at Kara, only for her lips to be captured in a soft kiss. Kara’s lips were warm and soft and wet. She pulled away quickly, and Lena thought she saw a flash of tears before the Alpha turned and walked away.

Lena couldn’t take the time to process Kara’s abrupt departure. She hurried through the halls to her quarters, uncaring that she was walking alone in the halls. She stepped into her room and rushed to the bedside table…

But her tablet was not where she left it. Lena’s eyes widened in shock as she looked around the room, but the tablet was nowhere to be found. She pulled the covers off her bed, yanked the clothes from the drawers, practically tore the room apart, but she already knew.

They had taken her only way of communicating with Earth.

She sat on the edge of the bed and held her head in her hands as ineffective, angry tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t live her life as a captive, no matter how pleasant the cage. There had to be a way off this ship.

_A way off…_

Lena’s hands dropped to her lap as her mind swirled, an image of a silver pod launching into space filling her thoughts.

There was a way.

She could go home.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena makes her choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! (That’s all).

Lena hated flying, and yet she had always been fascinated by the machines that made flight possible. When she was eight Lex had taken her out to an empty field on the edge of the Luthors’ property, near an airfield, and they had watched planes take off and land for hours. Lex had gotten his pilot’s license as soon as he was old enough, and Lena had flown in his little single-engine plane once— and once was enough. Lex had laughed wildly as she breathed deeply into a paper bag and she would’ve hit him if he hadn’t been the one piloting the damn thing.

She stood staring at rows and rows of Kryptonian pods with her heart in her throat. She told herself it was the fear of flying— well, more the fear of crash landing— but she knew that that wasn’t all that kept her frozen in place.

_She could go home._

If she made it back to Earth, she would be allowed to stay. She could return to the life she had before. She could retake the helm at LuthorCorp, return to her apartment. But where she thought she would feel relief, she only felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

She could return to Earth. She could return to working sixteen hour days and sleepless nights and weekends in the office. She could return to her empty apartment.

_Or she could stay._

Her chest tightened. For so long she hadn’t had a choice, and now it was in front of her and it filled her with anxiety.

She could stay. She could spend days in the lab working with Andrea or helping Kara manage the ship. She could share meals with her friends, with Andrea and Russ, with Lucy and James, with Alex, with Kara. She could spend her weekends playing video games she and Winn converted to work on the Kryptonian system, or soaking up the imitation sunlight in the conservatory.

She could go to Argo. Her trial and Kara’s trial filled her with fear, but even that didn’t quash the bit of hope that had taken root in her chest. Hope warred with anxiety at the prospect of going to Argo, but somehow hope continued to win out.

Kara would be on Argo.

Lena’s hand subconsciously went to the necklace that hung around her neck. She wondered briefly if she should leave it, but she hadn’t taken it off since Kara had given it to her and the thought of taking it off now made her hands shake. She didn’t want to leave it.

She didn’t want to leave Kara.

She could still remember the feeling of Kara’s lips against hers as they stood in the room full of spacesuits, after Kara’s declaration of love for her. She had wanted to say more in return— how she loved Kara’s absolute abandon when it came to trying delicious new foods, how she loved Kara soft and warm in the evenings, how she loved Kara’s fierce protection of the people she loved and the ideals she held dear. She loved how Kara always tried to do the right thing, even though sometimes it was impossibly difficult to figure out what the right thing was. She loved that even though they were so different in some ways they were so alike in others, two puzzle pieces seemingly made to fit together in spite of the vast space between them.

The reality was, it had been startlingly easy to fall for the Kryptonian. And now it was proving extremely difficult to let her go.

She could hear Kara’s voice, how soft yet strong it had been when she declared her feelings. It was such a contrast to the warble in her voice as she told Lena to make sure she wore a spacesuit when she was in the pod, or the fierce volume she had used to clarify that Lena knew to press the green button instead of yellow, to turn on the pod’s autopilot instead of manual drive.

Lena’s brow furrowed in confusion. She had been so caught up in her own feelings of relief that Kara was speaking to her after two days of silence, she hadn’t really paid attention to those details at the time. But now they played through her mind on repeat, and something about it struck Lena as odd.

If there was ever an emergency evacuation of the ship, Lena wouldn’t be alone. She would be with Kara, or with Andrea and Russ, or an even larger group of evacuees. Someone was sure to know how to use the pods, someone was sure to instruct them to put on spacesuits before getting inside.

Logically, there was never any time Lena would use one of the pods by herself. Except…

_I don’t wanna lose you._

Lena’s eyes widened as realization struck her. She could almost taste the salt of Kara’s tears when she kissed her earlier that evening.

It felt like a goodbye.

Suddenly Lena’s feet were moving, but not toward the pods. She hurried from the room, to the lift that would take her to the ship’s living quarters, but she didn’t stop at her own door. Instead she rushed past, through the dim hallways, until she came to stand outside the Captain’s quarters.

She placed her hand on the door and it slid open— her privilege to enter unannounced had never been revoked.

There were no lights on in the room, but the room was faintly lit with starlight from the open panel that clearly showed the outside of the ship and the Earth below. Kara stood beside the sofa, leaning with one hand against the window, staring out as if she were waiting for something. She didn’t turn or acknowledge Lena when she entered, just kept watching intently.

Lena’s breath caught in her throat when she realized—

“Do you want me to leave?”

Kara’s entire body shook when she heard Lena’s voice. She dropped her arm and turned to Lena with wide eyes.

“You’re here,” she breathed, voice thick with awe.

“Do you want me to leave?” Lena demanded, crossing the room to stand an arm’s length away from the Kryptonian.

Kara’s jaw clenched and she looked down, away from Lena’s gaze. “I want you to do whatever you want to do. I want you to be happy.”

“But _do you want me to leave_?” Lena repeated again, slowly, enunciating each word.

Kara looked up sharply. “No. No, I don’t. I want you to stay with me.”

“Then why did you show me the pods?” Lena asked. She already knew, but she needed to hear Kara say it.

“I wanted to give you the choice,” Kara said, voice strained. “I knew you could never be happy with me knowing you didn’t consent to be here in the first place. As much as I didn’t want to lose you, I couldn’t keep you here knowing you would be unhappy. It has to be your choice to stay, Lena. Or to go.”

“What did you expect me to do?” Lena asked.

Kara shrugged. “I wasn’t sure. I hoped… _Hope_ you’ll stay. But I just… I wanted to give you the choice.”

Lena swallowed hard and fought down the tears that were threatening to spill over. She stepped closer to Kara, until there was only a hair’s breadth of space between them.

“And what if I choose to stay?” she asked, looking up at the Kryptonian.

Lena could hear the breath that caught in Kara’s throat, could feel how her body tensed and see how her eyes widened with hope.

“Then I would spend every day doing my best to prove to you that you made the right choice,” Kara said resolutely.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Lena’s lips as she leaned forward. “Promise?”

“I promise,” Kara said, but the end of her words were caught in Lena’s mouth.

Lena wasn’t always good at expressing her feelings in words. She couldn’t bring herself to list the numerous things she loved about Kara, or explain how she felt about the other woman. But she hoped that Kara might understand, as she poured every ounce of relief and love and joy she felt into the push and pull of her lips against Kara’s, the way her hands pulled Kara’s body firmly against her own and refused to let go.

They had kissed before, many, many times, but it was never quite like this. Lena’s inhibitions were gone, abandoned on the flight deck of pods that could take her away from this ship and away from Kara. She had made her choice, and her choice was right here, pressed hot against her body. Everything was needy, desperate, tongues and teeth and groping hands memorizing every hard muscle and soft curve. Kara’s hips bucked against hers seemingly with their own volition, and Lena could feel the hard length of her through her pants.

Lena pulled back from the kiss abruptly. “Bedroom.”

Kara made a sound like a whimper as she nodded, but she made no move. Lena grabbed the Alpha’s hand and pulled her to the bedroom. She suddenly remembered Kara’s shy admission a few weeks before, and told herself she needed to slow down, not just for Kara’s sake but for her own. Neither of them was going anywhere, at least not right now, and she wanted to savor this.

Lena pulled Kara in for another kiss, this one just as intense but softer, slower. She cupped Kara’s jaw with one hand, and wrapped her other arm around the Alpha’s waist, pulling her until their bodies were flush once again. Then she moved her hands, exploring up and down Kara’s body, feeling every inch of her beneath the tight navy blue uniform.

Kara’s hands, however, stayed firmly and safely attached to Lena’s hips. Lena pulled back from the kiss and looked at her curiously.

“You can touch me, Kara, you know that,” she said, her voice breathless.

Kara bit her lip. “I just… I want to be sure that you want me to.”

Lena stepped away, clarity sinking in. She looked Kara up and down, from the blonde waves of her hair, messy from Lena’s hands, to her heaving chest, down to where the outline of her cock was visible through the material of her suit leaving no doubt in Lena’s mind that Kara wanted her.

“I want you to take off your uniform and lie back,” Lena said, stepping forward briefly to press a chaste kiss to Kara’s cheek. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Kara replied, voice cracking like a teenage boy’s. She removed her uniform with military efficiency and no finesse, but Lena couldn’t help the way her mouth went dry as inch after inch of golden skin was exposed. Once the fabric was on the floor, leaving Kara in nothing but what looked like a sports bra and compression shorts, Kara reached for the waistband.

“Leave those,” Lena said quickly. Kara looked up sheepishly and nodded before moving quickly onto the bed, scooting back until her head was on the pillows. She met Lena’s eyes and swallowed deeply, the muscles in her neck straining. Lena was struck with the sudden urge to lick those muscles, to bite down and leave a permanent mark showing that Kara was hers.

She intended to take her clothes off slowly, but instead she tore them off quickly, kicking her pants away even as she crawled onto the bed above Kara in only her underwear. She straddled Kara’s hips, heat on heat, separated by thin layers of fabric, and leaned down to kiss Kara again, dipping her tongue into the Kryptonian’s mouth before pulling away to suck at her lower lip.

“Give me your hands,” she said breathlessly, running her own hands down Kara’s arms until she reached the ends. She threaded their fingertips together before moving Kara’s hands to her hips, then up over her waist to her fabric covered breasts. “Touch me wherever you want, Kara. Please.”

Kara tightened her hands around Lena’s breasts and they both moaned at the sensation. Lena captured Kara’s lips again as thumbs traced over her nipples through the thin satin material of Lena’s bra. Kara’s touches were a perfect combination of reverent and rough, sending sparks through Lena’s body until she bucked her hips down into Kara’s.

“Lena,” Kara murmured against her lips, hands plucking at the elastic band of Lena’s bra.

Lena sat back with a grin and reached behind her, unfastening the offending article and tossing it aside. Kara’s eyes widened as she took in Lena’s completely bare upper half for the first time.

“Yours too,” Lena said, and in a blur Kara yanked awkwardly at her bra and threw it aside. The motion left her sitting up partially, and before Lena knew it she had straightened completely, rocking Lena back to sit in her lap.

At the first sensation of bare skin against bare skin, Kara groaned and Lena sighed, sinking deeper into Kara’s embrace. They kissed briefly before Kara lowered her head, trailing soft kisses along Lena’s neck and down further.

“Is this okay?” she asked, glancing up with dark eyes.

“Yes,” Lena sighed, and Kara lowered her lips to Lena’s breast, pressing small kisses to the soft skin on the side before sucking the tip between her lips. Lena rocked against her, unable to stop her hips from moving, and reached down to run her fingers up Kara’s sides until she was cupping the Alpha’s breasts in her own hands. When Kara began sucking rhythmically at her breasts, switching from one and then to the other, Lena’s hips rocked in time to the sensation against Kara’s cock and a slightly-embarrassing sounding whine escaped her throat.

“Lena,” Kara said breathlessly as one ragged thrust brought Lena’s center tight against Kara and the heat seemed to pass between them. She looked up at Lena with dark eyes, cerulean iris swallowed by pupil, desperation written in her features.

Lena gasped again at Kara’s expression. “Lie back.”

Kara did as she was told, eyes still fixed on Lena as she reclined into the pillows. Lena moved lower and pulled the Alpha’s shorts from her body, leaving her blessedly bare. Her cock sprang free, along with the strong scent of her Alpha musk. The dark almost-purple head bounced up almost to Kara’s belly button, leaking precum as it pulsed. Lena swallowed hard and moved back up over Kara’s body.

“Wait, Lena,” Kara said, grasping Lena’s wrist as she reached out to touch her. “Are you sure you want this?”

Lena was caught between the urge to groan at Kara’s reticence or laugh at the sheer absurdity of her question. She pulled her hand free and pushed her panties down, moving awkwardly over Kara to get them off one leg and then the other. Then she grabbed Kara’s hand and brought it between her legs.

“I’m sure, Kara.” She groaned as Kara’s fingers slipped through wet heat. “Can’t you tell? Feel how much I want this.”

Kara’s hand moved of its own volition, sliding through Lena’s folds. Lena groaned and threw her head back as Kara circled her clit, then moved lower and slipped one finger inside.

“Fuck!” Lena shouted, hips circling at the intrusion. “Another, god, Kara…”

Kara added another finger to Lena’s heat and Lena groaned, moving to fuck herself against Kara’s hand. The Kryptonian stared up at her with wide eyes, her focus moving rapidly from Lena’s face to her swaying breasts and finally down to where her fingers disappeared to the knuckle. And when she moved her thumb and it brushed over Lena’s clit.

“Stop!” Lena shouted, grabbing at Kara’s wrist. “Stop, stop, oh god…”

“What?” Kara exclaimed. “Did I hurt you?”

Lena smiled tenderly. “No, darling, it’s good, _so_ good. I just don’t want to come yet.”

Kara’s expression turned puzzled. “Why not?”

Lena leaned down until her lips were brushing the shell of Kara’s ear. “I want to come with you inside me.”

Kara whined and her hips bucked, pushing into the hand that was still buried inside Lena. Lena grunted at the sensation, and reached down to pull Kara’s fingers free. Kara’s hands immediately went to Lena’s hips, wet fingers digging into one side, as Lena reached for the Alpha’s cock and lined her up. Kara watched her movements, breath coming in sharp gasps.

“Kara,” Lena said softly, pulling Kara’s attention back until she met Lena’s gaze. Then Lena sank down.

They both groaned aloud as Lena began taking Kara inside. Kara’s hands clenched at Lena’s hips hard enough that Lena was certain that she would bruise, but the sensation only added to Lena’s satisfaction. The stretch of it was almost too much, and the sharp pain mixed with hot pleasure drove Lena on. She sank down until Kara was halfway inside her and paused to adjust. She opened eyes that she hadn’t even realized were closed and stared down at Kara’s face.

Kara looked up at her like she was seeing the sun for the first time. Her hips jogged slightly, pressing herself further into Lena, and they both groaned. Lena bent down and kissed Kara deeply before she began rolling her hips, sinking further down and then coming up slightly, taking Kara deeper and deeper with each motion, until she came to rest against Kara’s pubic bone.

Kara gasped at the wet heat surrounding her, breathing something that sounded like Lena’s name against her lips. Lena moved away but Kara’s hands tightened painfully on her hips and she growled against Lena’s neck.

“Shh,” Lena coaxed, reaching down to take Kara’s hands in her own. She moved them up over her body, showing Kara where she wanted to be touched, as her lower body began to move. She rolled her hips in a smooth infinity symbol, pulling away from Kara only to sink back down until she could grind her clit against Kara’s pubic bone, and then she repeated the motion. For several long minutes Kara lay there bonelessly, adjusting to the sensations, until Lena bent and nipped at her collarbone.

It was as if the bite spurred something inside Kara. She dug her heels into the bed and began thrusting her own hips up to meet Lena’s. The added force pushed Kara’s cock even deeper and made the impact against Lena’s clit even more intense with every thrust. Lena cried out, hands scrambling for purchase on Kara’s abs to hold herself up and hold on as each movement sent her closer and closer to climax.

“Kara,” she groaned. “‘M close, Kara.”

The Alpha sat up suddenly and pulled Lena flush against her. One arm circled Lena’s waist and pulled her closer even as Kara continued thrusting up into her. The angle held her in deep, though her thrusts were smaller and shallower. Kara’s lips went to Lena’s neck, sucking at the skin there.

“Mine,” she murmured into the skin.

“Yes,” Lena gasped as she found the right angle with her hips to grind her clit against Kara with every small thrust. “Yes, yours, yours, and you’re mine.”

Kara grunted against her and suddenly it was too much. Pleasure burst like an overfilled balloon inside Lena, and she cried out as her body convulsed around Kara. Kara shuddered beneath her, and Lena could feel the warmth of her climax inside her.

For a long moment, all Lena could concentrate on was the sound of their labored breathing as hot air condensed against already-sweaty skin on her neck. But slowly her consciousness began to regain control, and she realized something. She pulled her body away from Kara’s until she could look her in the eyes.

“You didn’t knot me,” she said, her voice a mixture of accusation and question. “You didn’t bite me, either.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were ready for that,” Kara panted, shifting uncomfortably beneath Lena.

Lena reached up and captured Kara’s cheeks between her palms. “Jesus, Kara, I’m here, aren’t I? I chose you, to be with you, and I didn’t mean for just one night. I want to be yours, Kara, so make me yours.”

Kara growled fiercely and flipped them holding Lena’s body against hers as she did so. Before she could breathe Lena was on her back, pressed into the mattress beneath Kara’s solid weight.

“Is this okay?” Kara asked, looking down at Lena with eyes that showed only a sliver of blue.

“Yes,” Lena replied, and Kara sighed in relief before kissing her fiercely.

Somehow, in all the commotion, Kara had never slipped free of Lena’s body, had never even gone soft from her first orgasm. Her hips began moving, thrusting in and out of Lena with zero finesse, her inexperience showing for a long minute. Then she hit a spot within Lena that drove all the air from her lungs with a cry and made her dig her short nails into Kara’s back. Kara looked down at her, again assessing whether her sounds were pleasure or pain before she repeated the motion, rotating her hips smoothly so that each thrust hit that rough patch inside Lena that made her lose her mind.

“Yes,” Lena cried again, clutching Kara closer to her. “Fuck, Kara, harder, right there, please. Fuck me harder.”

Never one to deny Lena anything, Kara did as she was told, rocking into Lena harder and faster than before. The scent of their coupling filled the room, the heavy musk of sex mixed with Kara’s spicy pheromones and Lena’s sweeter ones, and the scent just propelled Lena further toward another orgasm, and she could already tell that this one would be even better than the first.

Kara whimpered and growled beside Lena’s ear, and Lena realized her thrusts weren’t hitting quite as deeply as before. She looked down between them and could see the swelling flesh at the base of Kara’s cock, preventing her from getting all the way back in.

Lena knew, rationally, that her body could take it, that the genetic modification had changed her slightly so that she could take an Alpha’s knot. Hell, it drove her instinctively to want it, to crave it, even when she wasn’t in heat. But seeing the bulge of it pressed up against her entrance and looking just _so big_ against the stretched flesh sent a shiver of trepidation through her to war with her desire.

“Kara,” she murmured.

“It’s alright,” Kara replied, pulling up and kissing Lena softly. “You can do it, Lena. You feel so good, so good around me. Wanna make you mine, wanna be yours, so fucking much.”

“Yes,” Lena groaned, and she felt a gush of slick between her legs, coating Kara’s knot at the Alpha’s words. “Yes, please, make me yours. Bite me. Give me your knot, Kara, fuck, _fu— ah_!”

Kara gave one hard thrust and Lena thought she might tear in half as she stretched around Kara’s knot. Then Kara lowered her head and bit down hard where Lena’s neck met her shoulder, and after a brief flash of pain, pleasure like Lena had never known overwhelmed her senses. It travelled from Kara’s bite down to Lena’s sex like a live wire, and with a satisfying pop Kara’s knot slipped inside and Lena’s flesh closed around it, molding to the welcome intrusion. Lena wasn’t sure what triggered her orgasm, the bite or the knot, but what followed was unlike anything Lena had felt before.

Stars exploded behind Lena’s eyes as she came, screaming Kara’s name as her body arched. Her climax raced through her with every thumping beat of her heart, every spasm of her cunt around Kara’s cock, sending warm waves of pleasure all the way to the tips of her toes and her curling fingertips before racing back to where they were joined.

Kara was coming too, moaning into her hold on Lena’s neck as jet after jet of hot cum rushed against Lena’s cervix. Finally, when the spurts began to taper off, Kara pulled back and laved her tongue over the raw flesh of Lena’s mating bite, speeding up the healing process. Without much thought, Lena turned her head and bit hard into Kara’s neck, and the Alpha cried out as another strong pulse of release emptied inside Lena. The knot kept it all securely inside Lena, a comforting warmth that echoed the contentment in her heart and mind.

Kara rolled them softly, as they were still locked together, until they rested on their sides, arms still wrapped around each other, legs intertwined. Lena’s head fit perfectly against the curve of the Alpha’s throat, so she tucked it there, gazing at the teeth marks in Kara’s skin.

There were still so many uncertainties, Lena knew that. But she knew one thing for certain now.

She had made her choice, and it was Kara.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will be 4 major arcs and Chapter 19 ended the first arc. This chapter transitions us toward the second. Basically this is going to be a whole ass novel and I'm equal parts intimidated and excited.

When Lena awoke the next morning, her first conscious thought was that somehow she must’ve kicked the covers off because her legs were cold but her torso was sweating beneath the sheets still wrapped around her. Her next thought was something warm and wet pressing kisses against her thighs, moving further up. Lena opened bleary eyes to see a blonde head between her legs and blue eyes watching her with curious attention. Then Kara nosed gently at her cleft and ran her tongue through her pussy all the way up to her clit.

Lena didn’t do much thinking after that.

There was a considerable amount of pleasured gasping as Kara explored her with her tongue and lips, finding all the small sensitive points of flesh and deft motions that drove Lena wild. Then there were moans, first soft and then deep quaking moans as Kara fucked her with her tongue. Lena’s hips bucked against Kara’s face and her hands pulled hard at blonde locks as she chased her orgasm until finally Kara moved her thumb to stroke Lena’s clit. Three quick passes later Lena felt as if her body collapsed in on itself as her orgasm raced through her nerve endings.

She might’ve lost consciousness for a moment, because the next thing Lena knew was the mattress shifting as Kara crawled up, chin still glistening with Lena’s cum, a smug look on her face.

“God, Kara, I thought you said you were a virgin,” Lena huffed as Kara pulled the sheet from between them so their naked bodies could press flush against each other.

Kara looked up with wide eyes. “I am! Or, well, I was.”

She blushed then, further proving her point. Lena couldn’t help but smile at that, and pull her closer in her embrace. “Then where did you learn to do _that_?”

“Er, um, reading,” Kara said lowly, blush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears and down her neck. A low purr rumbled in her throat with every exhale and her own arousal pressed hotly into Lena’s leg.

Lena’s eyes widened. “Kara El, what kind of books have you been reading?”

“I thought it best to be… prepared,” Kara told her.

“Well, you certainly were,” Lena said, reaching up with her thumb to wipe the slick from Kara’s chin. Kara nuzzled into Lena’s touch before opening her lips and sucking Lena’s thumb into her mouth. The move sent a fresh jolt of arousal through Lena’s system and pulled a gasp from her throat.

Kara gave Lena an appraising look. “Are you sore? Or…”

“No, I’m not sore,” Lena replied, pulling Kara closer. “But if you’d like to fix that…”

Kara didn’t need to be told twice. Lena parted her legs as Kara moved between them and groaned as Kara entered her. Kara thrust once, twice, until she was pressed fully into Lena, and then she stilled, enjoying the sensation. Lena dug her nails into Kara’s shoulders, drawing her attention.

“What do you need?” Kara asked, pressing a quick kiss to Lena’s lips before nuzzling into the raw bite mark on her neck.

“I need you to fuck me,” Lena hissed as teeth scraped over the still sensitive flesh. “Fuck me, and don’t be gentle.”

Kara growled deeply and her weight settled heavy on Lena’s torso for a moment before she pulled away. She kissed Lena again, but this time it was hard and raw, teeth and tongue claiming as she braced one hand on the bed beside Lena’s head and her hips began moving in a deep, merciless pattern that had Lena spreading her legs even wider and digging her toes into the top of Kara’s ass.

When the knot began forming at the base of Kara’s cock and pressed into Lena’s flesh, she pulled away from Kara’s lips with a gasp. She looked down at the swollen flesh glistening between them and then up at Kara.

“Do it,” she said, raising her hips to meet Kara’s thrusts. “Please, Kara—“

Her pleading turned into a loud grunt as Kara shifted her hips and began pressing her knot inside, stretching Lena’s sensitive flesh.

“Ask me again,” Kara huffed. “You ask for it so pretty, Lena. Ask me again.”

The thought that Lena should be ashamed for such wanton begging pierced through the heavy fog of intense arousal, but only for a moment as her flesh began stretching anew with yet another thrust. With Kara she was safe to give in to whatever desires she felt.

“Please,” she gasped as Kara pressed against her. “Please, Kara, knot me. I need it, god, I need you, _please_.”

Kara groaned above her and gave two powerful thrusts, shifting her hips slightly until, with a stretch that made Lena cry out, her knot was fully sheathed inside. A moment later they were both coming, Lena clenching around Kara’s length and milking it of cum as Kara shuddered above her and emptied in powerful jets inside her.

“Lena,” Kara muttered weakly against her brow as she came down. Her muscles relaxed one at a time as her body collapsed into Lena, firm weight pinning her even further into the mattress. “Lena…”

“Mmm,” Lena hummed in reply, nuzzling her face into Kara’s cheek. They held each other like that for several long minutes, comfortably joined.

“I could stay like this forever,” Kara said when she was finally able to control her breathing. She hugged Lena close just as her knot gave way and her cock slipped from Lena’s warmth. They both sighed at the sensation.

“We could always go again, if you want?” Lena said, surprising herself. She had never felt like this with any of her past lovers, but then again, she had never loved any of them the way she loved Kara.

“Ugh, don’t tempt me,” Kara groaned, bending her neck to bury her face between Lena’s breasts. She pressed a soft kiss to Lena’s sternum. “I don’t think we’ll get much of a honeymoon this close to the start of the Collection. We’d only get leave if you were in heat or I was in rut, and that won’t happen again anytime soon.”

Lena’s hands froze where they had been tracing the muscles of the Alpha’s back. “When will that happen, do you think?”

“Most Omegas have their first heat about six months after the modification procedure,” Kara said, looking up at her. “And my rut should hit around the same time, might even be triggered by your heat.”

“That feels like too soon and really far away at the same time,” Lena speculated.

Kara nodded, chin bumping against Lena’s chest. “We can still give you a suppressant, if you want, when the time comes. Or figure out some kind of contraceptive, if you don’t want pups.”

Lena ran her fingers through Kara’s hair, untangling blonde strands. “I’m not sure what I want anymore. But the idea of children with you… I might want that.”

Kara looked at her with wide eyes. “Really?”

Lena chuckled. “Really. But let’s just enjoy me and you for now, hmm? We’ll worry about babies and contraceptives when the time comes.”

“Mmhmm,” Kara murmured in agreement, burying her face in Lena’s chest again. A soft purr rumbled from her throat.

“You like my boobs, huh?” Lena asked, idly stroking Kara’s hair.

“Mmhmm,” Kara rumbled again. Lena couldn’t help but laugh loudly and the motion jostled Kara’s head where it rested on her chest.

“We have to get up,” Lena said finally, though she made no move to actually get out of bed.

“I know,” Kara grumbled, rolling to her side. “Shower?”

Lena raised a brow. “Do you think you can keep your hands to yourself?”

“Nope,” Kara said with a coy grin.

Lena laughed again, kicking the covers off her feet. “That’s good, because I don’t think I can either.”

——

One very handsy shower later, Lena stepped naked into the closet. Kara had purchased so many clothes in anticipation of her arrival that they had only moved some of them to her smaller quarters, so most of them were still stored here. Lena put on a set of simple lace underwear from the cabinet and then began sorting through the clothes.

“How about this one?” Kara asked, tone thick with feigned innocence as she pulled a blue sweater from the rack. Lena inspected the item and realized quickly that the neck was rather large and low, exposing plenty of skin and cleavage.

“Do you want me to wear it because you like seeing my boobs or because you’ll be able to see my mark?” she asked, raising a brow at Kara as they carried their clothes into the bedroom.

The Alpha’s expression turned sheepish. “Both.”

Lena just chuckled at her. “You know, on Earth, if you got a hickey, you usually tried to cover it up.”

Kelex floated into the room, interrupting them. “Andrea Rojas requests entry.”

“Let her in,” Lena said with a grin. “This should be fun.”

“Lena!” Kara exclaimed, yanking a clean uniform off its hanger. “We’re not dressed yet.”

“Oh please, when we were nineteen, I once walked in on Andrea and her boyfriend, the guy was balls deep and they didn’t even stop,” Lena scoffed. “This is nothing.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “That was… not a visual that I needed. But what did you do?”

“I grabbed my charger and left them to it,” Lena shrugged. “Like I said, this is nothing.”

And it would’ve been nothing, if Andrea had been alone. Kelex, however, had failed to mention that she was accompanied by Russ El and Alex. Kara held her uniform over her front defensively as all three people frantically entered the bedroom.

“Kara we can’t find Le—“ Andrea began, eyes widening as she took in their appearance. Russ stared at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the universe. Alex rubbed her temples, muttering what Lena thought were Kryptonian curses under her breath.

“Well, you found me,” Lena said, stepping into a pair of pants. “What did you need?”

“You— I— Kara— You—“ Andrea sputtered.

“Look, Kara, I think we’ve broken her,” Lena teased as she pulled the blue sweater over her head. She adjusted the neckline, making sure that the straps of her bra were out of the way and that her mating bite and cleavage were both fully displayed.

“You’ve mated!” Andrea exclaimed finally.

“We did,” Kara said, now fully dressed in her uniform. Her voice was low and possessive, and she stepped closer to Lena as if she might need to defend her.

Andrea’s stunned expression turned rapidly to suspicion. “Lena, what happened?”

“It was my choice, Andy, truly,” Lena assured her friend, stepping forward and reaching out to hold her arms. “She gave me a choice.”

“You really went through with it then?” Alex asked, looking at Kara with a mixture of exasperation and shock.

“Went through with what?” Russ asked, finally looking down now that both women were dressed.

Lena looked back at Kara and the Kryptonian sighed.

“I showed Lena how to use the escape pods yesterday,” she said.

Andrea gasped. Alex shook her head.

“You did what?” Russ exclaimed.

“She had the option to return to Earth, Russ. She deserved to have the choice.”

Russ El looked back at the ceiling, as if the answers to all life’s questions might be written there.

“Dammit, Captain, I should report this,” he said, lowering his head. “But I won’t. She didn’t escape so you aren’t guilty of helping a person facing Council charges avoid judgment, at least not technically.”

“Thank you, Russ,” Lena said earnestly.

“You chose her?” Andrea asked, pulling Lena’s attention back.

“She gave me my freedom back, Andy,” Lena said softly. “And I realized that the future I want is here with her. Is that so hard to believe?”

Suddenly Lena was pulled into a bone-crushing hug by a very pregnant and very emotional Andrea Rojas. Andrea sniffed dramatically into Lena’s shoulder.

“I didn’t want you to be forced to stay but I wouldn’t want you to leave and I thought that made me a horrible friend and I’m so glad you’re still here,” Andrea said rapidly into Lena’s shoulder between sniffles. Tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto Lena’s bare shoulder.

“It’s okay,” Lena said, rubbing her friend’s back. “It doesn’t make you a horrible friend. I wanted to stick around for you, too.”

Andrea reached up to wipe away tears again. “Dammit, stupid hormones. I swear, I cry daily anymore.”

Lena just chuckled, her own eyes damp, but before she could wipe them she was pulled into yet another hug. She wrapped her arms around Alex’s waist and squeezed tightly.

“I’m so glad you two figured it out,” Alex murmured into her ear.

Across the small space, Kara growled possessively.

Alex looked up and raised a brow toward her adoptive sister. “Hey, settle down, killer. She’s my new sister, now, I’m allowed to hug her.”

Kara scowled. Lena rolled her eyes and released a sweet scent into the air. Immediately Kara’s shoulders relaxed.

“Thank goodness somebody can do that now,” Alex said. She looked down at the bite mark on Lena’s shoulder. “I have some ointment that will make that heal faster. It’ll still scar just fine, but the healing process will be a lot faster. I’ll have Kelex fetch it.”

“Thank you,” Lena replied, reaching up to prod gently at the raw flesh.

“You might want to put on a different shirt,” Russ suggested hesitantly.

“And why should she do that?” Kara demanded.

“Look, I’m not saying you shouldn’t announce your mating,” Russ backpedaled. “Her scent will do that enough, believe me. Everyone in the dining hall is going to know as soon as she walks in that you two have mated. But there are still some in the crew— mostly Ty Vel’s kin— who may not take it well. They’ve cut ties with him over his actions, but they’re still unhappy with the entire situation. Flaunting a mating bite might not be the best idea at the moment, especially with the Collection about to start.”

Kara frowned, clearly unhappy at the proposition. Lena could almost see the primal Alpha side of her warring with the disciplined part of her brain that made her Captain of the ship.

“Kara, I’ve already disrupted things enough,” she said, reaching for the Alpha’s hand. “Besides, seeing a fresh mating mark might scare some of the women coming aboard in the next few days. Russ has a point.”

“Still don’t like it,” Kara muttered.

Lena sighed. “Give us a minute? We’ll be at breakfast in just a few minutes.”

The others nodded and left. Lena turned to Kara again.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, hmm?”

“I just want everyone to know you’re mine,” Kara said softly, pulling Lena back into her embrace. The warmth of their bodies pressed together sent equal parts contentment and arousal coursing through Lena’s body. Kara lowered her head and rubbed her cheek and neck against Lena’s face, then moved lower, rubbing like a cat all over Lena’s body and releasing thick, spicy pheromones as she did so.

“Oh my god, you’re scent marking me!” Lena exclaimed, surprised but not angry.

“You can do me, if you want,” Kara said brightly, as if she was thrilled by the idea.

“I’m not… dammit, I’m a fucking cat now,” Lena said, as she awkwardly moved her hair aside and copied Kara’s motions, focusing on releasing sweet, claiming pheromones. “There. Are you happy now?”

“Very,” Kara replied with a wide smile and a quick nod.

“So I can wear a turtleneck and you won’t be upset?” Lena asked, ducking back into the closet.

Kara muttered a Kryptonian curse before agreeing. “Yeah, I guess.”

Lena pulled on a striped button up with a high collar, then pulled her hair up into a tight ponytail. The look emphasized her sharp jaw and high cheekbones.

“What do you think?” she asked, stepping out of the closet again.

Kara pulled her close and kissed her, softly at first, then deep, claiming.

“I think you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen no matter what you wear,” she replied. “I’m just… partial to lower cuts.”

Lena chuckled. “Well, we can save that sweater for another day, don’t you think?”

“Mmhmm,” Kara agreed. A loud rumbling noise pulled their attention lower, and Kara blushed.

“Hungry?” Lena asked. “I guess you built up quite an appetite last night, although I would’ve thought you’d eaten your fill this morning.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of you,” Kara said, her voice low. She kissed Lena again, but her stomach growled loudly, and this time Lena’s stomach echoed the sound.

“Okay, Alpha, I need you to provide for your Omega in other ways now,” Lena ordered with a laugh and a wag of her eyebrows. “Feed me, please.”

“I can do that,” Kara said quickly. “I can definitely do that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you started reading the first edition of The Collection, then this was the end of that. You may notice that this version has 20 chapters at this point where the first version had 21, that's because I combined 2 shorter early chapters when I went back and rewrote.
> 
> I'm hoping to have Ch.21 posted sometime this weekend, so heads up!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Collection begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First *new* chapter with the new edition.  
> I've tried to catch any errors in my editing, so thanks to all those who pointed out when things would slip through. I think I've got them all.  
> And I made ONE LAST CHANGE to Chapter 4 today, so you may want to go check that chapter again, but it's not really anything that affected the story going forward, just a small change to Lucy and James's backstory.
> 
> ANYWAY!  
> We are now into the second arc of this epic, which will basically consist of the actual Collection and the return trip to Argo.  
> Enjoy!

The dining hall was full by the time Lena and Kara entered, buzzing with chatter and activity. But Lena noticed, as she and Kara would walk by a table, that conversation would dwindle to a stop as those seated began sniffing at a new scent. Some Alphas nodded toward them in acknowledgement as they passed, some just stared. Lena noted that a few members of the crew— the ones who had sat with Ty Vel before his attack on her— glared at them. But no one said anything to them or acted out of the ordinary, until they approached their table.

Any subtlety Russ had hoped to achieve was completely lost as soon as Lucy Lane picked up their blended scent. Lena could see the other woman’s eyes narrow from fifteen feet away, and before she could even process the small woman was squeeling with glee and running toward them.

“Oh my gosh! You’re mated!” Lucy exclaimed, pulling Lena into a tight hug.

“Lucy, you’re crushing me,” Lena muttered, but the spry woman only squeezed tighter.

“You have to tell me everything!” Lucy insisted, grabbing Lena’s free hand and pulling her away. Lena held onto Kara with her other hand and pulled her along as well.

“I would just like to point out that technically I was your friend first,” Kara interrupted as they approached the table.

“Yeah, but it’s different when we’re both Omegas,” Lucy replied, pulling Lena to sit beside her.

Kara grumbled, but bent to kiss Lena’s cheek. “I’ll get you breakfast while you tell her. Just… try not to embarrass me too much.”

“I’ll do my best,” Lena assured her.

Their table was full— Andrea and Russ, Lucy and James, Alex, Kara and Lena— and breakfast consisted of a lot of laughter and good-natured ribbing as Lena refused to go into too much detail and the other Alphas subtly teased Kara. Throughout their meal, a few members of the crew came over, most of whom Lena had met in her time on board, to congratulate them. It seemed that any negative attitudes were insignificant in comparison to the overwhelming positive reception of their progressing relationship.

Their plates were nearly emptied when Kara’s eyes widened and her voice trailed off mid-sentence. Lena looked over her shoulder and wasn’t surprised to find General Astra approaching the table, an unreadable expression on her face.

“Aunt Astra,” Kara greeted, reaching for Lena’s hand.

The older Alpha looked between them and her nostrils flared as she took in their blended scent.

“So you’ve mated then,” she said finally.

“Last night,” Kara replied.

“You gave your consent?” Astra asked, gaze focused on Lena’s neck.

“I did,” Lena replied.

Astra nodded. “Well, it’s good to see that you’ve accepted your lot with us. I can’t say that your mating will have any bearing on the outcome of your trials on Argo, but it can’t hurt anything. Personally, you have my congratulations. I have a feeling you will be a valuable asset to our people once we reach Argo, Miss Luthor.”

“Thank you, General,” Lena replied.

Astra extended her hand toward Lena. “Please, we’re family now. Call me Astra.”

Lena placed her hand in the Alpha’s. “Of course, Astra. Then you must call me Lena.”

Astra smiled, but the expression was quickly replaced by a frown as Kara growled deeply. Astra pulled her hand back and grinned.

“Forgive me, little one. I had forgotten how possessive newly-mated Alphas are,” Astra said, lowering her head slightly in submission.

Kara nodded, then shook her head as if the motion would clear away her instincts. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Do not apologize, Kara,” Astra said sharply. “I am glad you have found someone who will drive you to be the strong Alpha that I’ve always known you had the potential to be. Don’t apologize for your instincts. Protect your mate, cherish her.”

“Of course, Aunt Astra,” Kara replied.

Astra nodded. “Now, your timing isn’t wonderful. If we were on Argo I could give you leave to spend more time with your new mate, but with the Collection scheduled to begin tomorrow, there is work to be done.”

“Of course, we understand,” Kara replied.

Astra nodded. “Good. Then I will see you in the Control Room shortly, Captain.”

Kara nodded. Astra turned and walked away and they turned back to the table.

“Well, that went better than I expected,” Lena said to no one in particular, and everyone at the table let out a sigh of relief.

“She was right, I do need to go,” Kara said after a moment.

“Then go, do your work,” Lena said. “I can bring you lunch, if you’d like.”

“I’d definitely like that,” Kara replied, kissing her quickly before standing.

They cleared the table quickly, and as everyone went to their workstations Lena followed Alex to the Med Bay. She partially unbuttoned her blouse and sat on one of the benches as the Alpha applied a thick pasty ointment to the bite mark before covering it with a thin layer of gauze.

“That will speed the healing and keep it from itching,” Alex said as she secured the edge of the gauze. “Once the bites scab over they itch like mad, at least that’s what I’ve heard. You should be healed up in a couple of days.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Lena said, buttoning her shirt.

“Of course, anything for my sister’s mate,” Alex said with a small grin.

Lena smiled shyly and looked down in thought as Alex put away the rest of the gauze. She remembered what Alex had said earlier that morning in Kara’s room.

“You knew what she was going to do?” she asked suddenly.

Alex froze in place, hand reaching up to place the gauze back on a shelf. After a moment she moved again, placing the gauze and closing the cabinet.

“I did,” she said softly. “She told me yesterday, at breakfast, before Winn left with Ava. You can’t tell anyone else, Lena. Even though you didn’t choose to leave, she could get in even deeper trouble if people knew she tried to help you.”

Lena nodded. “I gathered that from what Russ said this morning. I don’t plan on telling anyone.”

“Good,” Alex said with an emphatic nod.

“I suppose you’re relieved that I stayed,” Lena said.

Alex sighed. “For more than one reason, Lena. I’m relieved because Kara’s not in even deeper trouble. But mostly I’m relieved because she loves you, and she’s happy with you, and all I want for her is to be happy. I like you, Lena, I really do. When Kara told me what she was planning I told her she was mad at risking her chance at happiness, but you know how she is, her mind was made up.”

“I did consider it,” Lena admitted. “It was tempting. But then I realized what Kara was doing, the opportunity she was giving me, and how much she must care about me to make that sacrifice. It made all the difference, Alex. I’m here and I’m with her by my own choice.”

“I’m glad,” Alex sighed. “I wish it were like that for every woman that came here from Earth. Or that they could meet and fall in love and make their choice freely, like Lucy did.”

“Is that why you don’t have a mate? You hate the system the same way Kara does?” Lena asked, then realized what she had said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry…”

“No, it’s okay,” Alex sighed. “Actually… There was a woman, Maggie.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Lena insisted.

Alex just shrugged and continued. “She was part of the third Collection from Earth. I entered a courtship with her, on Argo. I thought she was going to be my mate. I had even requested my vial be taken out of storage so she could undergo the genetic modification procedure. She backed out the day before her appointment was scheduled. She had always been on the fence about having children, but I thought she loved me enough to change her mind about wanting them. But when faced with the reality of it, she refused to go through with it. She offered to stay with me, as long as she could remain human and we didn’t have any children. But I want a family, so we ended it.”

“Oh,” Lena said finally, eyes wide.

“Yeah, so, that’s why I was so angry at Kara for using her vial with you, and subsequently every risk she took that could’ve resulted in you not accepting her,” Alex explained. “I’ve always wanted to have a mate and children, and I’ve never understood how Kara pretended that she didn’t want them. She does want it, she just thought she didn’t deserve it. Does that make sense?”

“That makes perfect sense,” Lena replied. “And I think you’re right.”

Alex nodded. “And Lena… I am glad that you chose to stay. I’m really happy that everything worked out. I’ve never seen Kara as happy as she is with you, and I’ve known her for a very long time.”

Lena could feel the blush in her cheeks. “She makes me happy, too.”

——

Kara was fidgeting. Lena stood next to her in a room that appeared to be almost the size of the hangar, but instead of being full of escape pods this space was completely empty save for an empty archway in the center.

James, in his gray uniform, stood at a nearby control panel.

“All systems are ready, Captain,” he told Kara. “We await your orders.”

Astra stood a few feet away, and she looked at Kara with a calculating expression. On their opposite side a crowd of Omegas, with Lucy in the front row, stood waiting for the people who would come out of the portal. Mated Alphas were stationed around the room, both to monitor the Collection process and to provide security. Lena could just make out Russ El’s profile in one corner of the room, and the Alpha from the security cells, Ava Sharpe, near the doors.

Kara shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Lena reached out and wrapped her hand around Kara’s, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Kara stiffened her spine.

“Engage the trans-matter portal,” she ordered. “Begin the Collection.”

The techs pressed buttons and flipped switches and a moment later a loud roar filled the room as bright purple light filled the inside of the arch. The lights of the ship blinked and the lights inside the arch rippled for a moment until equilibrium was reached and both returned to normal.

“Amazing,” Lena breathed, staring at the arch, but Kara was already turning away. Lena followed her as she walked quickly from the room and into the hall outside. Only when the doors closed behind them did Kara relax, slumping against the wall. Lena reached up and stroked the side of her face. Kara pulled her roughly against her chest and held her close, breathing in her scent.

“The last time I used the portal, you were having a seizure in my arms,” Kara said softly. “I thought I might lose you before I even knew you.”

“I’m right here,” Lena reassured her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Kara sighed deeply and rested her head against Lena’s. “I hate this, you know. Even though today we’re only bringing the volunteers on board, I know the worst is coming tomorrow.”

“We’ll get through it,” Lena said confidently. “And maybe things will change soon.”

“Yes, all because of you,” Kara murmured. “On one hand, you’ve probably made things more difficult for us. But I think you’ve started something, Lena. I’ve seen the transmissions from Earth. Things are changing. Everyone was ignoring how horrible this process was for the women taken, but now they’re taking notice.”

“It’s about time,” Lena scoffed.

“We’re going to change things,” Kara told her. “You’ll see Earth again, if you want. I truly believe that.”

Lena hugged Kara closer. “You’re what I want now. If I ever go back to Earth, it’s only if you’re allowed to come with me, alright?”

Kara nodded, her nose rubbing against Lena’s temple. A throat clearing drew their attention, and they turned to see a familiar blonde Alpha standing a few feet away.

“I’m sorry, Captain, but the first volunteers are coming through,” Ava said, standing ramrod straight and avoiding looking directly at the two of them.

“Thank you, Ava, we’ll be back momentarily,” Kara told her. Once she was gone, Kara sighed. “I’m already nervous, and today’s just those who volunteered.”

They returned to the hangar to see that about twenty women had gathered on this side of the portal. An Omega was standing with each of them, just talking and trying to make them comfortable with the transition. As another woman stepped out of the glowing portal, another Omega stepped up and took her hand, bringing her further onto the ship.

This was how it began. Kara had explained the process to Lena the night before. Each Collection Bureau on Earth was equipped with a trans-matter portal like this one. Today the women who came through would be volunteers who had elected to be Collected of their own volition. Early reports had estimated almost two hundred volunteers to board their ship— a record high number, according to Kara. Then, over the next two days, the women who had been chosen by lottery would come aboard, and that would be the truly difficult part.

“Oh my gosh, it’s her!”

“It’s Lena Luthor!”

The hushed whispers became louder, breaking Lena from her contemplation. The human women closest to her were staring, and those further away were quickly turning her way. Kara shifted uncomfortably beside her, but Lena placed a hand on her arm to calm her before stepping toward the nearest woman.

“Hello,” she said. “I’m Lena.”

“Hi,” the young woman said. She was young, probably not much more than the minimum age of twenty-two, with long brown hair and big brown eyes. “I’m Whitney.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Whitney,” Lena said genuinely.

“Is this, um, is this the Kryptonian that… that…?”

“This is Kara,” Lena said. “Yes, she’s the Kryptonian who took me from Earth, but she did it to save my life. She’s also my mate.”

The girl’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to find a mate as quickly as I did,” Lena told her. “You’ll have plenty of time to settle in. I take it you’ve seen things on television about me?”

“I volunteered because of you.”

Lena’s eyes grew. “You _what_?”

Whitney nodded. “My family… They’re not well-off. I have five younger siblings and my father’s disabled and can’t work. We were about to lose the house. The stipend they’ll receive from the government for me being Collected will be enough to save the house and keep them comfortable for a while. But I never would’ve been brave enough to volunteer without all the information you sent to Earth about the Kryptonians. Knowing that they don’t force the Collected women into anything they don’t want and how much they respect their mates, that made all the difference.”

Lena stared blankly at the young woman for a long moment before there was a shout from near the portal and an Omega led the woman who had come through quickly out of the room. General Astra approached them.

“That one is going to the Medical Bay,” she explained. “She has bone cancer. Apparently Lena’s story has spread quickly on Earth and convinced many women that coming to Argo is a good option for them. That’s why our volunteer numbers are so much higher this year.”

“Because of me?” Lena asked.

Astra nodded. “You’ve started something, Miss Luthor. I was afraid that it would be for the worst, but perhaps it is for the better. If more women knew what to expect from us, perhaps they would be more willing to volunteer.”

“Well, it’s a moot point now, isn’t it?” Lena asked. “This is the last Collection.”

“For now,” Astra said, walking away. But Lena knew what she meant— if the children produced by Kryptonians mating with humans were all Alphas when they came of age in a few years, then all of this would’ve just been delaying the inevitable collapse of the Kryptonian species. But if that happened, they might simply make the Collection go on indefinitely, so their species could continue.

Lena made her way through the crowd of women, speaking to many. She wasn’t surprised, at this point, to find that she was somewhat of a celebrity at this point. All of the women knew who she was, and many had similar stories to Whitney. Many who had been on the fence about volunteering for the Collection had been swayed to go through with it when they learned what the Kryptonians were actually like, all thanks to the information Lena had sent to Earth.There were ten more cases of women with some form of cancer, and all of them were taken to the Med Bay to be given the nanite treatment, though Kara assured Lena that they were not in the advanced stage that she had been in, so they had time to select a mate before undergoing the genetic modification process.

By the end of the day, two hundred and sixty-two women had come through the portal and were stationed in the ship’s third quadrant of living quarters. The third and fourth quadrant were dormitory-style quarters, with four women to a room and several shared common areas. The ship would take almost one thousand women back to Argo on this trip.

That night, Lena lay in bed with Kara. During the day, Kelex had returned all of her clothing and other supplies to Kara’s quarters. The room Lena had occupied would be taken by one of the Kryptonians currently stationed on Earth on the return to Argo.

“When I first began working on Collection transports, for the first few years I was assigned to transport women from much poorer countries,” Kara whispered in the dark. “Almost all the women we took there were volunteers. Argo was safer for them— we have better medical care, access to food and water. This job wasn’t as difficult when the women were volunteers. Then I was stationed on a ship collecting from the European Union, and finally two years ago I became Captain and was assigned ships transporting women from the United States.”

She shifted anxiously beneath the covers and Lena scooted a bit out of the way, only for Kara to grumble and pull her into a tighter embrace, which Lena didn’t really mind.

“Promise me that you’ll stay away from the portals and Quadrants Three and Four tomorrow,” Kara said suddenly. “Sometimes the women who have been taken lash out at people on the ship. As much as the volunteers today were happy to see you, I’m afraid that some of the women tomorrow would be just as unhappy.”

Lena nodded in agreement. “I promise.”

Kara sighed. “Thank you, _i zhao_.”

“We’ll get through this,” Lena murmured, but she wasn’t sure if she meant her and Kara or all of the people on board, including the women they would be taking. “Together.”

Kara reached for the necklace Lena wore and twisted it between her fingers.

“My family has a saying, a motto of sorts,” she said. “ _El Mayarah._ ”

“ _El Mayarah_ ,” Lena repeated, and Kara smiled at hearing the Kyrptonese from her lips. “ _Stronger together?_ ”

Kara nodded. “Kal reminds me of it often. As individuals we have our own strengths, but we are better together. Legend says that’s why Rao created Alphas and Omegas, so that we would be driven to find mates that would make us stronger. We aren’t meant to face this world and this life alone, but to have someone at our sides who can love us and comfort us and give us strength when we need it.”

“ _El Mayarah_ ,” Lena said again.

“ _El Mayarah_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me comments, they give me LIFE!


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara cope with stress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing to say for myself

“I hate this.”

Lena sat beside Andrea in the dining hall, watching as people came and went. The majority of the crew had some type of duty during the Collection process, but Lena and Andrea had been left mostly to their own devices, Lena because of her notoriety and Andrea because of her pregnancy. Around them people came and went quickly, scarfing down food before returning to their duties. All of them looked like something out of a zombie movie, tense and exhausted.

Kara had only come to the room for a couple of hours the night before, barely getting any sleep before returning to her duties. She said little, just held Lena close and snored lightly until her alarm went off again. Apparently that was how it would be for several days, until the Collected women settled in and they headed back to Argo.

“Me too,” Andrea muttered around her sandwich. She finished her last bite and rubbed at the side of her expanding stomach. “I think I’m going to go rest a bit.”

“Are you alright?” Lena asked worriedly.

“Yeah, just worn out from carrying this little one around all the time. Plus getting comfortable in bed without Russ is a challenge, so I didn’t sleep well last night,” Andrea sighed. “Just a few more weeks. I’m so ready to not be pregnant.”

“You’re not making a strong argument for reproduction here,” Lena teased.

Andrea just shrugged. “What can I say, at least making them is fun.”

Lena chuckled and watched as Andrea walked slowly from the dining hall. The baby was a bit large, according to Alex, but nothing out of the ordinary for a Kryptonian pregnancy. Andrea was being monitored but other than being physically tired, she was very healthy.

Before Lena could stand up to collect her things, an exhausted-looking Lucy and James entered the dining hall. Lucy gave her a small wave as they filled their plates, then made their way toward the table.

“How’s it going?” Lena asked anxiously.

Lucy groaned and buried her face in her hands. James just rubbed her shoulder sympathetically.

“On my end, things are going smoothly,” James told her. “The portals are all running at full capacity and energy levels are holding steady. I have an easy job at the moment.”

“I take it things aren’t going so well on your end?” Lena asked.

Lucy picked her head up and propped it on one arm, stirring her food around on her plate with her free hand.

“It’s always hard, but this year it’s just… _more_ ,” Lucy said vaguely.

“Is it because of me?” Lena asked shyly.

“A little bit, I’m not gonna lie,” Lucy replied. “But it’s not just that, believe me. It’s a combination of factors. The information you sent really brought the repressed anger out to the forefront in a way that it had never been before, so that’s definitely part of it. But also I think because it’s the final scheduled Collection, these women feel even more unlucky to be chosen. There’s a lot of anger, but also a lot of depression and every other stage of grief, you know?”

Lena nodded. Her own grief over the life she left had been convoluted by everything that had happened since she arrived on the ship, but it was still present sometimes. She had Andrea and her new friends, and Kara to give her hope, but these women had nothing yet.

“Maybe I could speak to some of them?” Lena suggested. She was still a bit uncomfortable with the knowledge that she had somehow convinced women to volunteer to go to Argo, but maybe if she spoke to these women more they would see…

“No, I don’t think so,” Lucy said quickly. “At least not yet. That might help some of them, at least eventually, but for others… No, it could honestly be dangerous for you. You just focus on helping Kara relax. She’s carrying all of this on her shoulders, and it’s heavy.”

Lena nodded. “Do you know where she is right now?”

“Last I saw her, she was headed to her office to message Collection officials on Earth,” James replied. “And she hadn’t eaten yet.”

Lena thanked them and loaded a plate with a few of Kara’s favorites before heading to the captain’s office.

“I can’t believe they’ve done it _again_!”

Lena froze and a shiver went down her spine at the anger in Kara’s tone and the bitter pheromones that filled the air in the control room. Kara stood in front of a large screen, looking every bit the terrifying Alpha that many humans believed the Kryptonians to be. A few feet away, Astra sat comfortably in Kara’s chair, her own calming pheromones battling Kara’s with cloying sweetness, but they couldn’t overpower Kara’s scent.

“You put too much faith in them,” Astra said. “You always want to think the best of people, Kara, but they will never live up to your expectations.”

Kara growled, but suddenly her eyes widened. She turned and her eyes landed on Lena and suddenly her entire demeanor changed. A tired smile spread across her face and she visibly relaxed as the bitter pheromones were replaced by a sweeter scent.

“Hi,” Lena said shyly, looking between the two Alphas. “I hope I’m not interrupting. I just… I brought you something to eat.”

“I’ll be in the control room,” Astra said, dismissing herself. She placed a comforting hand on Lena’s arm before stepping out. “You have an hour.”

Kara sighed heavily and circled around her desk to sit down. She wasn’t as tense as when Lena entered, but Lena could still see the anxiety set in the crinkle of her brow and the sharpness of her jaw.

“I brought your favorites,” Lena said, moving to place the plate on Kara’s desk.

“Thank you, _i zhao_ ,” Kara murmured, reaching for a sandwich.

“I can go if you—”

“No, stay, please,” Kara insisted, grabbing Lena’s hand and pulling her until she was sitting on her lap. She turned her face and buried her nose in Lena’s hair.

“Okay,” Lena agreed, collapsing comfortably into Kara’s embrace. “Here, you need food.”

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” Kara said, narrowing her eyes on the piece of fruit Lena held toward her face. “But if you’re gonna feed me, I could get used to this.”

Lena chuckled as Kara took the bite of fruit from her fingers. “Well, don’t get too used to it, Captain. Pampering is reserved for times of extreme stress and exhaustion, and I expect you to return the favor when needed.”

“Of course,” Kara promised, taking another bite from Lena’s fingers. They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes as Lena continued to feed Kara bits and pieces from the plate, faintly amused by the Alpha’s obvious pleasure at the action. But the slight crinkle in her brow remained, like it was etched into stone.

“What has you so upset?” Lena asked finally.

Kara sighed. “Some of the women that were sent over as part of the Collection were criminals. Women who had committed crimes severe enough to be given life sentences. They had no chance of ever getting out of prison, so they were given the option to come here. They’re not exactly volunteers, since they can’t consent on principle, and they all have complicated pasts. Some have been violent. And it’s not the first time they’ve done this, either. They did it four years ago and we had an agreement that it wouldn’t happen again, but the Collection Commissioner claimed that because of all the protesting, this was a safe alternative to fill some of the numbers.”

“How did the women adjust, last time?” Lena asked.

“Most did, eventually,” Kara told her. “But before they did we subdued an attempted uprising. I was serving under Bruce Wayne at the time. You’ve met him. He actually ended up taking the leader of the uprising as his mate. Selina Kyle.”

Lena sputtered. “Selina Kyle? Catwoman is now an Omega?”

Kara’s eyes grew. “You know who she is?”

“Well, of course,” Lena said. “The Luthors are a rich and powerful family. Our wealth was a huge target for a burglar like Catwoman. My security detail based the entire design of my apartment off of her past crimes. She robbed my brother blind on more than one occasion.”

“Well, she was given ten consecutive sentences for breaking and entering, two for kidnapping, and one for attempted murder, and a few months later she was put on our ship,” Kara explained. “She led an uprising that nearly killed some of the crew, but thankfully we were able to subdue them with only six crew members injured, and only one of those was bad enough to require an overnight stay in the Med Bay. Oddly enough, I think Bruce and Selina bonded during the fight.”

Lena shrugged. “Adrenaline, close quarters, physical contact… It can be arousing.”

Kara’s brows shot up in response. “Really, now? Do you speak from experience?”

Lena leveled her with a bemused expression. “Eat, Captain.”

Kara grinned and took the berry from Lena’s fingers, but this time her lips lingered over her fingertips a bit more than before. Lena looked at her curiously but Kara just smiled innocently.

“My turn,” Lena rasped. “Give me one.”

Kara’s eyes grew but she followed the order, reaching around Lena to grab another berry from the plate. She held it to Lena’s mouth, but Lena bit into it while she was holding it, getting pink sticky juice all over Kara’s fingertips.

“Well, now you’ve made a mess,” Kara chastised.

“Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up,” Lena said, her voice deeper than before. One at a time she sucked Kara’s fingertips into her mouth, laving her tongue around each digit until it was clean. She pulled back from Kara’s pinky with a satisfied pop and a salacious grin. “See?”

A low purr erupted from Kara’s throat and as Lena shifted her weight in the Alpha’s lap, she could feel Kara’s arousal pressed against her ass. She grinned at the response.

“You know, Lucy told me my job during the Collection is to help you relax,” Lena said, standing.

Kara whined softly, hands reaching for Lena in an attempt to keep her close. “Well, you’re doing a marvelous job so far.”

“Hmm, I think there might be one more thing I can do,” Lena said, dropping to her knees in front of the Alpha.

She would’ve laughed at Kara’s wide-eyed expression if it weren’t for the tell-tale ridge in her uniform. She ran her hands lightly up the Alpha’s thighs, feeling the muscles tense beneath the tight fabric, until she came to the fastening the held it together in front. She looked up at Kara quickly.

“Is this okay? Or too much?” she asked seriously.

Kara swallowed hard, the muscles in her neck straining which drew Lena’s attention to the healing bite mark on one side.

“No—I mean yes! I mean— Please keep going,” Kara shuddered.

Lena grinned and unfastened Kara’s pants, reaching in and freeing the hard member inside. Kara’s cock bobbed impressively against the front of her uniform, a small dollop of precum forming at the tip. Before it could fall and make a mess on the navy fabric, Lena darted forward and licked the tip.

The sound Kara made was certainly not human, something between a groan and a growl. With every exhale a ragged purr tore from deep in her chest. Her hands gripped the arms of her chair with white-knuckled intensity as Lena circled the head of her cock with her tongue before closing her lips around the tip.

Lena had never been a particular fan of blowjobs. She could see the appeal, at least from the receiving end, but overall it always seemed like a chore that ended with raw lips and a sore jaw. And she knew, from the stretch of her muscles, that sucking Kara off would end with the same ache, but somehow it was different. It still couldn’t compare to the pleasure of actually being fucked by Kara, not by any stretch of the imagination, but watching Kara lose herself into Lena’s mouth was a different sort of satisfaction.

Lena watched and listened, mentally cataloguing how Kara reacted to each motion: how Kara’s hips shuddered when she stroked the bottom of her shaft against her tongue, how she cried out when Lena sucked hard on the head, how her mouth fell open in shock when Lena relaxed her throat and took her as deeply as possible. Lena’s lips fell all the way down to where the base of Kara’s cock began to expand, and she reached up with her hands to caress the swollen flesh there.

“Oh, fuck, Lena,” Kara groaned, hips bucking up off the chair. One hand moved from where it was holding on for dear life and Kara grabbed at Lena’s ponytail, tugging slightly. Lena moaned at the sensation, and the vibrations made Kara pull at her hair and thrust her hips again.

“I’m close, Lena, oh Rao,” Kara shuddered. Lena took a deep breath through her nose then dropped down as far as she could go, sucking hard and squeezing at Kara’s base with her hand.

Kara made that sound again, the one that made Lena flood her panties with desire, and then Lena could feel as her shaft expanded with her release. The knot in her hands swelled as jet after jet of thick cum poured from the tip of Kara’s shaft into her waiting throat. Lena swallowed rapidly, choking slightly on the thick, salty ejaculate. Finally Kara collapsed back into the chair, breathing hard, as Lena licked her way back up her shaft, making sure to clean every drop of cum from her skin.

“See, I told you I would clean it up,” Lena said coyly, blinking up at Kara.

Before Lena could react Kara had picked her up and sat her down on the edge of her desk. Lena’s legs spread, bracketing Kara in between. Her black skirt rucked up, revealing creamy skin. Kara’s eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared to breathe in the scent of Lena’s arousal.

“Do you remember the first time you ate lunch with me in my office?” Kara asked, breathing still ragged.

Lena blushed at the memory. That had been the day Kara had gone into rut.

“How could I forget?” she replied as Kara pressed her nose to Lena’s temple.

“All I could think about when they put me in that rut cell was what I would’ve done if you hadn’t stopped me,” Kara rasped, pressing kisses down the side of Lena’s face. “How I would’ve fucked you right here on top of this desk.”

Lena groaned at the mental image, and the knowledge that it was very likely about to happen.

“I like this,” Kara said, trailing her hands down Lena’s sides where her shirt hugged her figure, down over her hips and thighs to the bare skin just above her knees.

“I thought you were a boob girl,” Lena teased. The shirt she was wearing had a high, modest neckline that barely showed the bandage of her mating bite, and didn’t even hint at cleavage.

“I like all of you,” Kara growled before her lips met Lena’s.

Kara’s kiss was hard, claiming, all of her pent up anxiety transforming into ardent desire as she stepped further into Lena’s embrace. All Lena could do was hold on and pull in desperate breaths through her nose as Kara’s tongue plundered the depths of her mouth, her lips caressed with bruising force. Strong hands cradled her cheeks, then moved to pull the tie from her hair, releasing it into a silky cascade that Kara carded her fingers through as they kissed.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, the kiss stopped. Kara pulled away, leaving Lena breathless and chilled. Then Kara’s hands were on her, pulling her up and turning her around before pushing her down on top of the desk.

“Is this alright?” Kara asked as she pulled Lena’s skirt up and over her ass.

“Yes, yes, very alright,” Lena assured her, swallowing hard as Kara’s strong hands caressed the curve of her buttcheeks.

“Hmm, I love your boobs, but your ass is making a very strong argument right now,” Kara teased, pressing a kiss to one cheek before her fingers twisted in Lena’s panties and pulled them down her legs. Lena stepped out of them quickly, and Kara tossed them aside without any concern. Kara’s fingers trailed back up her leg, raising goosebumps in their wake, before dipping into the heat between.

“Oh, Rao, Lena, you’re so wet,” Kara gasped, stroking lightly. Her fingers found Lena’s clit and she moaned at the light sensation.

“Please, Kara, just do it, just… ngh!” Lena groaned as Kara applied just a bit more pressure, enough to send bolts of pleasure through her but not enough for anything else.

“Please what, Lena?” Kara asked.

“Fuck! Fuck me, Kara, please, I need you inside me,” Lena begged into the papers scattered on Kara’s desk.

Kara gasped. “I love it when you say _please_.”

Lena was on the verge of repeating her plea when she felt the head of Kara’s cock pressing against her folds. It took the Alpha a few moments to get the angle lined up just right, smearing Lena’s arousal around until the tip found Lena’s entrance.

“Yes!” Lena shouted as Kara thrust hard, sinking half of her length into her with one smooth motion.

“You feel so good,” Kara groaned, pulling back slightly before thrusting deeper. When she finally bottomed out she groaned at the tight heat surrounding her and a deep purr rumbled through her chest. Her hands moved to grip Lena’s hips. “I’m gonna take you hard now, Lena.”

“Yes, please,” Lena groaned, arching her back.

Lena didn’t know whether it was the _please_ or the extra arch putting her ass even further on display, but Kara growled low and began thrusting rapidly into Lena’s tight heat. Each motion rocked Lena harder into the desk below her and sent pleasure shooting through her body. Lena used one hand to brace against the desk, and with the other she reached back and held onto Kara’s wrist.

“Fuck, Lena, I’m close,” Kara growled, raising up to stand over Lena. “You look so good, _i zhao_ , so good bent over for me like this.”

Lena whimpered at the praise. Kara bent slightly, moving the hand Lena wasn’t holding around. She wiggled her fingers around the end of Lena’s skirt and up, into her wet heat. Her fingertips found Lena’s clit and she circled roughly until Lena cried out with pleasure.

“Can I knot you, Lena?” Kara asked breathlessly, and Lena could feel the swollen flesh pressing against her entrance.

She should’ve said no. She meant to say no. Being tied to Kara in the middle of her office at lunch time during the busiest day of their mission was not wise. But just as she opened her mouth Kara angled her thrusts slightly and swiped her clit at just the right time, and it was like a bolt of pleasure passed between the two points of contact and up through Lena’s body to shortcircuit her brain.

“Yes!” Lena shouted. “Yes, yes, oh god, yes!”

Kara grunted into Lena’s ear and thrust harder. The stretch from this angle was different, but no less intense, and as Kara’s knot stretched her Lena found herself hovering closer and closer to the precipice. When Kara gave one final thrust, and Lena’s flesh closed over the knot just as Kara rubbed at her clit, she fell over. Pleasure racked her body as her muscles clenched around Kara. Kara came with a deep groan, seed spilling into Lena as her inner muscles milked the cum from Kara’s cock and her knot kept it all locked inside.

It only took seconds, however, for Lena’s euphoria to be replaced by panic. She pulled away from Kara, only for pain to radiate from her center.

“Oh god, Kara! Shit! Shit shit shit!” Lena exclaimed, trying to pull away again, but the pain was too much. Behind her, Kara hissed.

“Lena, don’t do that!” the Alpha ordered. “What’s wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have said you could knot me! What if someone comes in here?” Lena demanded.

“It’s okay, nobody can get in without permission,” Kara replied. “And if it makes you feel any better, we can sit.”

Kara held Lena close as she sat down in the chair, Lena on her lap. Lena smoothed down her skirt, feeling a bit more secure, as Kara released waves of sweet calming pheromones.

“It’ll just be a few minutes,” Kara assured her, running soothing hands down her arms.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out, I just—”

Lena’s voice cut off as the doors to the office slid open and the only person on board that could enter without prior approval stepped in.

General Astra took one look at the two of them, a quick glance around the office, and inhaled sharply. Her expression never changed, staying as stoney as ever, as she looked at them.

“We have a situation with one of the Collected humans,” she said. “Come to the Med Bay as soon as you can, both of you.”

She exited just as quickly as she entered, and Lena felt Kara relax behind her.

“Do you think she knew?”

“Kara, my panties are on the corner of your desk.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new complication

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF PAST CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE
> 
> I stayed up too late finishing this chapter, but I am actually really happy with the flow of the dialogue and how it turned out, even though it's very dark subject matter and may be triggering to some. Please heed the trigger warning, it's not super detailed but it's not pretty.

Lena and Kara entered the Med Bay with as much decorum as two people who were just caught fucking in an office could muster. Lena smoothed down the wrinkles in her skirt reflexively as soon as she caught sight of Astra, but her attention was quickly pulled to the closest medical unit.

“Please, I need you to calm down,” Alex said, and Lena could smell the calming pheromones the Alpha was producing even though the human she was trying to calm could not. Two other Alphas were holding the human down on the table as Alex prepared a syringe.

“No, please don’t, I just need to go back!” the woman exclaimed. “Please if I could just talk to someone… Lena!”

Lena nearly jumped out of her skin when the woman shouted her name. Her brown eyes stared at Lena frantically across the room as she fought against her captors.

“Lena, please, I need your help! I can’t be here, I can’t! I have to go back, please!”

Lena stepped toward the woman, but Kara grabbed her arm quickly.

“She could be dangerous,” Kara murmured. “Do you know her?”

Lena shook her head. The woman looked oddly familiar— tall and thin, with olive skin and dark brown hair and dark brown eyes— but Lena didn’t think she really _knew_ her.

“Lena, please!” the woman shouted again, and Lena’s heart lurched in her chest. She pulled away from Kara’s grip, ignoring the Alpha’s warning growl, and hurried across the room. She pushed aside one of the Kryptonians holding the woman down and pulled her hand into hers.

“Hey, I’m right here,” Lena said. “It’s gonna be okay.”

“No, Lena, you don’t understand, there’s been a mistake,” the woman said frantically, gripping Lena’s hand with bruising force. “I can’t be Collected, I just can’t.”

“I know it’s hard to accept, believe me, I do,” Lena told her, bile rising in her throat at what she had to tell the woman. “And someday we’re going to make a way to go back, I swear it. But for now, the governments on Earth won’t allow it.”

A sob ripped from the woman’s throat as Alex plunged the needle into her upper arm. “But my daughter!”

A chill went down Lena’s spine as the woman’s words processed in her brain. She looked up at Alex with wide eyes and the lead medic looked back at her with the same expression. As Lena looked around the room, the other Alphas looked just as shocked.

“You have a daughter?” Lena asked, but she could feel the woman’s hand relaxing in her grip as the sedative took over.

“Mmhmm,” the woman said. “Ruby…”

Her voice slurred as the medication took effect and her eyes closed, though her brow was still tense even in sleep. Lena squeezed the hand she still held before tucking it comfortably beside the woman. Then she turned to Kara and Astra with the ferocity of a lioness.

“I thought women with children couldn’t be Collected, even if the child had been given up for adoption, even if they had been taken in a custody agreement or by child services?” she asked.

“That’s true,” Kara told her. “It was one of the stipulations added by Kryptonians. The idea of separating a mother from her child across galaxies, even if she had already given up rights to the child, just seemed unethical.”

“Then how is she here?” Lena demanded.

“We can check her records, but I would assume that she’s here because there’s no record of her having a child,” Astra said drolly. “She could be lying.”

“Why would she lie about having a daughter?” Lena asked.

“To get out of being Collected, of course,” Astra told her patronizingly. “It wouldn’t be the most extreme lie I’ve ever heard from women who don’t want to accept their fate.”

Lena bristled at Astra’s words, but she bit back an argument about how the women shouldn’t have to _accept their fate_ , as the General put it.

“Seems like a drastic lie,” Alex commented. She had moved the human woman into a more comfortable position on the bed and covered her with a thin blanket.

“And an elaborate performance if it isn’t true,” Lena added. “We should at least look into it, shouldn’t we?”

“I’ll pull her file,” Alex said, grabbing her tablet.

“I need to return to the portal,” Astra said, her tone bored. “Kara, keep me informed of what you find?”

Kara nodded slightly as her aunt headed out. Lena took in her tense shoulders and sharp frown.

“What?” Lena asked.

“She could’ve hurt you,” Kara said, her voice still little more than a growl.

“She didn’t hurt me, Kara,” Lena assured her.

“But she _could have_ ,” Kara insisted, pulling Lena close. “I just got you, Lena. The thought of anyone hurting you…” her voice was overtaken by a soft growl that melted into a whimper.

“Kara, I know your instincts tell you to protect me, especially now, right after we’ve mated,” Lena sighed. “But I’m not made of China.”

“What—? Oh, metaphor,” Kara said, and Lena grinned up at her.

“Like it or not, I’ve become some kind of symbol to these women. This woman clearly recognized me and trusted me in her state of distress. I couldn’t turn her away, Kara. I couldn’t stand by while she was so upset, you must understand that.”

“I understand, and I love you for it,” Kara replied earnestly. “It just goes against every one of my instincts screaming in my head.”

Lena smiled. “Well, thank you for managing your Alpha instincts and respecting my own strength.”

Alex cleared her throat, pulling their attention back to the issue at hand.

“Guys, I found her file,” she said, and Kara and Lena crowded around her to see the tablet. “Her name is Samantha Arias.”

“Samantha Arias… Why does her name sound familiar?” Lena mumbled.

“Does she have a child?” Kara asked.

Alex shook her head. “Her medical files say she never had a child.”

Lena’s head darted up at the tone of Alex’s voice. “But you have your suspicions?”

Alex shrugged. “I heard the same desperation that you did. I just don’t think that kind of emotion can be faked, even by the best actress, and she might’ve been on television but she’s no actress.”

“Wait, what?” Lena asked, tugging the tablet out of Alex’s hands to read the file.

“Is there any way you can prove medically whether or not she’s had a child?” Kara asked.

“I can do a scan of her pelvis,” Alex replied. “A woman who’s given birth vaginally has scars from ligaments tearing during the birthing process.”

“Do it,” Kara ordered, and Alex got to work.

“Ha! I knew I recognized her!” Lena exclaimed.

“So you _do_ know her?” Kara questioned.

“Not exactly,” Lena replied. “Samantha Arias, mostly called by her nickname Sam, was on a television show like ten years ago with her family. She’s one of sixteen kids.”

“That’s… prolific,” Kara said, eyes wide. “I wasn’t aware that humans had such large broods.”

Lena snorted at Kara’s choice of words. “Most don’t. And Sam’s parents didn’t have that many biologically. Only half of the kids were biologically theirs, the rest were adopted. The Ariases were an ultra-conservative evangelical couple that didn’t believe in birth control, were extremely patriarchal, girls had to dress modestly, no kissing before marriage, all that. And the father, Jacob Arias, was heavily involved in state and then federal politics. That’s why they were on TV, to broadcast their platform.”

“So… this still doesn’t make sense,” Kara said, rubbing her temples. “Sam said she had a daughter named Ruby, but this says she has a little sister named Ruby.”

“Yeah but… Oh. _Oh_ ,” Lena said, looking at the sleeping woman with wide eyes.

“What?” Kara asked.

“I… I think we should wait until Alex finishes her scan and Sam wakes up and can tell us her story herself,” Lena said, biting her lip. “But, I’m gonna be honest, Kara… I think she might be telling the truth.”

Kara’s brow crinkled as she looked from Lena to Sam. “Well… Tha definitely complicates things.”

“Definitely,” Lena agreed.

——

Lena stayed by Sam’s bed for the next two hours, even after Alex told them the results of the pelvic scan and Kara left to confer with Astra. She nearly fell asleep multiple times, in spite of the uncomfortable seat provided by one of Alex’s staff, but she refused to leave. She had to be there when Sam woke up, so she could see a somewhat-familiar face.

Yet when the woman did begin waking up, Lena wasn’t sure what to say. She held her hand gently as Sam’s eyes fluttered, slowly coming out of her medication-induced slumber. She grumbled a bit, then opened her eyes wide, taking in her surroundings.

“You’re okay,” Alex said, appearing at the opposite side of the bed as if by magic. “You’re okay, stay calm.”

“I’m… I’m still on board the ship, aren’t I?” Sam asked.

“I’m afraid so, yes,” Alex said, rubbing the human’s shoulder. “But we’re doing everything we can to fix the situation.”

Sam’s eyes widened and her grip tightened on Lena’s hand. She looked quickly away from Alex, having just realized that Lena was there, and then looked back and forth between them.

“They’re going to send me back?” she asked, her voice small.

“I’m not sure…” Alex trailed off.

“Sam, do you know who I am?” Lena asked, finally finding her voice.

Sam turned to her. “Of course. You’re Lena Luthor. I’ve seen you on television. I know they took you, but you’re okay, right?”

“I’m fine,” Lena said with a smile. “I was given a choice to stay here or go back to Earth, and I decided to stay here. My mate is the captain of this ship, and she’s going to do everything in her power to get this straightened out, okay?”

Sam settled back into the gurney. “Okay.”

“Sam,” Lena said, rubbing the back of the woman’s hand. “While you were asleep, Alex here— she’s the lead medical officer on board— she did a scan of your pelvis to confirm what you told us before. We had to check, because your medical records have no record of you ever being pregnant or giving birth.”

“No, they wouldn’t,” Sam said, swallowing thickly. “But… But you have to believe me, I’m telling the truth!”

“We do,” Alex assured her. “Honestly, we believed you before we even took the scans, but they just confirmed it. You have scarring on your pelvis and pelvic muscles consistent with a human that has given birth vaginally.”

Sam nodded and sniffed.

“Sam… Is Ruby really your daughter? Not your sister?” Lena asked.

Sam nodded, squeezing her hand tightly. “Yes.”

“Why is there no record of you giving birth to her?” Lena asked. “I hate to press, but people are going to want to know if we’re going to sort this out?”

Sam took a deep breath. “I— I was fifteen when I got pregnant and sixteen when I had her. My family— You have to understand, what I did, it would ruin my reputation and my family’s reputation. I know the rest of the world has mostly moved past the unwed mother stigma, but in our community it’s one of the worst things you can do. My parents said they were protecting me by hiding it. My mother and I went to live with her sister, who’s a midwife. She did all my pregnancy checks and recorded them as if she were examining my mother. We didn’t leave the house for six months. When Ruby was born, my parents’ names went on her birth certificate. They said it was better that way.”

Lena nodded. She had suspected as much, once her brain began to put the pieces together. “What about Ruby’s father? Is he in the picture?”

Sam’s face pulled into a taut grimace and her breath began coming in heaves.

“Sam, breathe!” Alex exclaimed.

“He… He’s not really,” Sam told them.

“They’re probably gonna want a name,” Lena said.

Sam pulled her knees up to her chest and mumbled something into the blanket.

“Sam,” Lena coaxed gently.

“Jake,” Sam said finally. “Jacob Arias, Jr.”

The room was deadly silent as the words sank in.

“Your adoptive brother?” Lena asked. “But he’s…” She thought back to the article she had read about the Arias family. “Isn’t he six years older than you?”

Sam nodded. “It started when I was twelve. Our parents didn’t teach us anything about… Well, anything about _that_ , so I didn’t realize, at first. He said he loved me and that that was what people who loved each other did. I didn’t even understand how I got pregnant, I thought it had to be some miracle like Jesus. Jacob and Patricia set me straight, though. And then one night Jake snuck into my room with a boxcutter. He held it to my belly and told me that if I told his parents that it was him, he’d kill my baby before it was even born. So I told them it was just some random guy I hooked up with at church camp.”

Lena rubbed her temples, processing the information. Alex moved hesitantly toward Sam and offered her a tentative hand to hold. Sam took it and held the Alpha’s entire forearm close to her chest.

“Sam I… I’m so sorry, for what you’ve been through,” Lena said finally. “We’re going to figure this out, I swear.”

“Please,” Sam said softly. “Jake might be a monster but I love my daughter with every fiber of my being. I have to get back to her. She’s not safe there without me.”

“What do you mean?” Alex asked.

“A few weeks ago, Jake moved back in with the family, along with his wife and daughters,” Sam explained. “He had an affair and it got out. He lost his job with the church, so Dad offered to let him and his family move in until they could work out their marriage and get their financial situation straightened out.”

Lena blanched. “So he’s there, in the house, with a bunch of underage girls?”

Sam nodded. “Ruby’s the same age that I was when he… When he started…”

Lena stood abruptly and began pacing beside the bed, mind whirling even faster than her body moved. Finally she turned to Sam with her business face on.

“Sam, what if you didn’t have to go back there?” she asked. “What if we could get Ruby out of there and somewhere safe? If you two were together and had a new start? Would that be acceptable to you?”

“That would be… That would be more than I ever dreamed of,” Sam admitted with tears in her eyes.

“What if that new start was on a different planet?” Lena asked.

“Lena, what you’re suggesting… It’s never been done,” Alex said.

“Alex, she can’t go back to living with her abusers, with her _rapist_ ,” Lena hissed. “And we can’t leave Ruby with them either. And if we report the abuse, Ruby’s there with them. I know how the justice system works on Earth, how people like them abuse the system. The safest place for Sam and the safest place for her daughter is with us, if she wants that.”

“I want it.”

Both Lena and Alex turned their heads rapidly at the sound of Sam’s voice. Her expression was set, her dark eyes determined.

“I want a new start,” Sam continued. “I want a life with my daughter. I want to be free of them. And if that means I have to start over on a completely new planet, then I will.”

Lena nodded and reached down to squeeze the woman’s hand reassuringly. She could see Alex doing the same thing with the opposite hand.

“I need to go talk to Kara,” Lena told them, then looked at Sam. “You’ll be safe here, okay? Alex will take care of you.”

“Of course I will,” Alex said, voice quavering. Lena gave her a curious look but the Alpha didn’t look away from Sam.

_Oh._

Lena definitely needed to talk to Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who guessed who was coming, congrats on being correct, but I bet you didn't see that totally non-canon backstory coming, huh?
> 
> So, a little background, I started writing a non-Supercorp version of this story YEARS ago, honestly before Supergirl was ever a show, abandoned it, and revived it as this fanfic. I had this character and this backstory in mind based on a reality-tv family here in the US (can anyone guess which one) and stuff that happened to them at that time. So I kept that story and just adapted it to fit Sam and Ruby. I hope it wasn't too upsetting for my readers.
> 
> And yes, this is the relationship I've changed from Version 1.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hurry up and wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, so it’s been a hot minute.
> 
> I thought working from home would mean more time to write but whoa boy was I wrong. The transition has been a pain in the butt, but I’m making it and adjusting. I’ll definitely be working from home until mid-May, probably for a while after that. This whole mess has really just turned my life upside down.
> 
> But ANYWAY, this chapter took forever, but when I went in to do my word count after finishing I realized that was because I had written over 6000 words!!! So I decided to split what I had written into two smaller chapters that also flow really well. So my next update will be in the next day or so as well.
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!

Lena had dealt with an angry Kara many times before, but she had never seen her quite like this. One thing she hadn’t seen, however, was an absolutely incensed General Astra.

Their fury was damn near palpable as they both communicated with the Collection Bureau officials on Earth, teeth bared in a snarl at the thought of what had been done to Sam. In the end, the Bureau had demanded a DNA sample, which Astra reminded them was _already on file with them_ , to prove Sam’s claim that Ruby was her biological daughter before they could move forward.

When the communication channel finally closed Astra took a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders and spine before looking around the room with wide eyes that finally came to rest on Kara.

“You realize I have to contact the Council as well?”

It was a complicated process. While Lena had no doubt that Samantha was telling the truth and Ruby’s parentage would be confirmed, actually getting her aboard the ship was a far more precarious mission. They not only had to get the authorities on Earth to agree— the Collection Bureau and Child Protective Services, namely— but also the Kryptonian Council on Argo. They had procedures in place for human females to come to their planet, but taking children from Earth to Argo was another thing entirely, according to Astra. And they would only have one shot with the Council— communications through the vast distances of space took days to come through, so by the time they got word back of the Council’s decision, it would be time to leave Earth’s atmosphere and return to Argo. There would be no negotiating conditions, no arguing if they denied the request.

It was a _hurry up and wait_ kind of situation, and Lena hated it. It had been four days since the Collection ended, and they expected another communication transmission from Earth the following morning. Sam was asleep on the sofa in Kara and Lena’s quarters— it hadn’t felt right, sending her to stay in the dormitory-style quarters for the Collected women, not when she was clinging to Lena like a lifeline. Lena stood in the doorway, chewing on the edge of her fingernail in worry.

“Stop that,” Kara murmured, wrapping her arms around Lena’s waist from behind. She was humid-warm, fresh from the shower, and her rich scent blended with the sweet soap she used to wash her hair and skin.

“I can’t help it,” Lena grumbled, though she dropped her hand. Kara quickly wrapped it in her own and tugged her around and into the bedroom. The door slid closed automatically behind them, enveloping them in the warm darkness of the bedroom.

Kara stripped them of their clothes quickly and without finesse. She had learned rather quickly after their mating that Kara preferred sleeping naked, and while it was a bit of an adjustment Lena really had no complaints if it comforted the sleepy, affectionate Alpha. She followed Kara’s gentle but insistent pull toward the bed and tucked herself against the Alpha’s body, but she could feel the tense muscles beneath Kara’s skin even as they lay entwined together. Beneath the sweet smell of soap Lena could just make out the subtle metallic tang of Kara’s anxiety.

“What is it?” she asked.

Kara didn’t respond with words. Instead she moved to press Lena into the bed and began scent marking her, rubbing the side of her neck against every inch of Lena’s bare skin from head to toe and then back up again until she was lying atop her, weight pressing Lena down into the mattress.

Lena knew enough about Kryptonians at this point to only be mildly surprised.

“You’re as stressed as I am,” she concluded, reaching around Kara’s waist to trace nonsensical patterns across her back.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said finally, her voice raspy and barely more than a growl. “I can’t help it.”

“It’s alright,” Lena assured her, releasing a wave of sweet pheromones into the air around them. “I need it too.”

She could feel Kara’s arousal pressed against her and she parted her legs almost instinctively, so that Kara’s hips pressed flush against her own and her hardness rested against soft folds.

A deep purr rumbled from Kara’s throat, but she looked up at Lena with wide eyes. “We don’t have to.”

“I know,” Lena sighed.

“I just need to be close to you,” Kara continued, even as Lena pivoted her hips.

“I know,” Lena repeated, raising her head to capture Kara’s lips in a kiss.

There was a quiet sort of urgency burning through her veins as she drew Kara into her body, a need for closeness that could only be sated by her mate. Even so, their joining wasn’t frantic but slow, bodies moving in tandem as close as they could possibly be.

When finally, _finally_ Lena felt that undeniable tightening in the deepest pit of her belly she dug her short nails into Kara’s shoulders and pushed against her hips with her heels, as if she could urge the Alpha even deeper into the recesses of her body. High, gasping cries escaped her throat as she came and Kara silenced her with her own mouth, growling through her own climax as her knot swelled inside Lena, locking them together.

Lena gasped for breath against Kara’s neck as the Alpha purred, sending pleasant rumbles through Lena with every exhale.

“Does it ever stop?” Kara whispered into the dark crevice where Lena’s neck met her shoulder.

“Does what stop?” Lena asked between panting breaths.

“The wanting?” Kara dragged her lips across the freshly-healed mating bite. “The need?”

Lena shook her head. “I don’t know, Kara. I don’t know.”

——

“You need to eat something.”

Lena looked away from her own bowl to where Alex and Sam were sitting across the table from her and Kara. That was another development Lena was watching; if Sam wasn’t glued to her own side, she was with the auburn-haired Alpha. The way Alex looked at Sam was oddly reminiscent of how Kara had looked at her when they first met, and Lena hoped that the two of them might be good for each other.

“I’m not hungry,” Sam said, pushing her food around on her plate.

“But you have to keep up your strength,” Alex coaxed. “You need to be strong for when Ruby gets here.”

Sam sighed, pushing her food around her plate. “And what if she doesn’t get here?”

“Don’t think like that,” Alex sighed. She looked from Sam’s plate of pancakes to her dejected expression and tightened her jaw. She quickly took Sam’s fork from her hand and stabbed at a large bite of pancake, then held it up to the brunette’s face. “Eat, please. For me?”

Sam glanced from the fork to the Alpha’s determined but pleading expression before sighing and taking a bite. Alex beamed at her, then began stabbing at another bite.

“You don’t have to feed me, you know,” Sam said, but her lips were clearly fighting a grin. “I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” Alex assured her. “But I like taking care of you.”

Lena elbowed Kara in the ribs so hard that the Alpha gave a slight yelp, but the two across the table from them didn’t even seem to notice.

“Interesting,” Kara murmured, and Lena nodded.

“What?” Sam said, finally paying attention to their table mates.

“Nothing, I was just thinking it’s probably about time we head to the Control Room,” Kara covered, wiping her face.

Sam nodded, her mood turning grim again. She looked back toward Alex. “You’ll go with me, right?”

“Of course,” Alex assured her.

When they entered the Control Room, however, General Astra raised a curious brow at the Medical Officer’s presence.

“Officer Danvers, do you not have assigned duties in the Medical Bay?” Astra asked as they entered, but her voice was more curious than chastising.

“I asked her to be here, ma’am,” Sam said, stepping closer to Alex.

“And I relieved her of her duties so she could be with Samantha,” Kara added, though Lena hadn’t seen her do any such thing.

“Very well,” Astra said, turning to the screen where the transmission from Earth would be displayed. “Begin transmission.”

A nearby tech pressed several buttons which would begin the transmission. Kara and Astra stood in front of the screen, and Lena moved to stand beside Sam, opposite Alex. A few moments later the screen blinked to life and a white-haired man in a suit appeared on screen. Lena’s eyes widened as she realized that she recognized him.

“President Baker,” Kara said, clearly startled by the man’s appearance. “I thought we were scheduled to speak with Commissioner Blaine today.”

“Captain El, General Ze,” the President greeted. “You were scheduled to speak with the Collection Bureau Commissioner, but we agreed that it was best that you speak to the highest authority when it came to this matter.”

The hairs on the back of Lena’s neck stood on end. Something about this didn’t add up.

Kara stiffened her spine and held her hands behind her back. “Very well, Mr. President. Can you give us an update on the status of Ruby Arias?”

“Of course,” the President replied. “After we received word of Samantha Arias’s claims, local authorities were immediately notified and all children under the age of eighteen were removed from the home by child protective services. They have all been placed in temporary foster homes and are receiving one-on-one sessions with therapists in an attempt to ascertain if any of them are also victims of child abuse. Authorities also performed a DNA test on Ruby Arias which confirmed Samantha Arias’s claim that she is the girl’s biological mother and that Jacob Arias, Jr. is her biological father.”

Kara nodded. “As you know, Mr. President, it is our policy not to separate a mother from her offspring, no matter what the circumstances. And Sam has made it very clear that she does not want to be separated from Ruby. Her ideal wish would be that Ruby be allowed to come with us to Argo, where the two of them can start a new life together.”

“Yes, Commissioner Blaine gave me the details of your request,” the President said. “The Collection of a minor, as you might imagine, is a complicated issue. We must determine what would be best for the child.”

“She should be with her mother,” Astra declared with the kind of determined certainty that Lena knew would be pointless in this situation.

“But is that what’s best for the child?” President Baker said rhetorically. “We have many options that must be investigated, General, Captain.”

“My mate and I have discussed the possible options that you might have, Mr. President,” Kara interjected. “Let me see if I have them all: Ruby would stay with Jacob Arias, Sr., and his wife Patricia, two adults who lied to authorities to cover up a teenage pregnancy. Or Ruby would be placed in a foster home, within an overloaded system where abuse is rampant and children are left with no resources upon aging out of said system. Or Samantha Arias could return to Earth and gain custody of Ruby but she would have no support system, no family to fall back on, few job skills to support herself and her daughter. Or Ruby and Sam could both come with us to Argo. Our society is prepared to teach Sam skills in whatever path she chooses in our society, and until she is able to fully support Ruby on her own, she would be supported by our Omega care program and by my own House, if necessary. So tell me, Mr. President, which of those options sounds like it is in the best interest of the child?”

Sam held Lena’s hand in a vice-grip as the President’s jaw clenched on screen. Lena could practically feel it as his eyes focused toward the corner of the screen, clearly peering toward where she was standing behind Kara’s shoulder.

“I do not have the authority to make such decisions,” he said finally.

“I thought we were speaking with you because you were the _highest_ authority, President Baker,” Astra replied, voice thick with derision.

“Yes, well…”

“What do you want?”

Kara’s abrupt question startled all of them.

“I beg your pardon?” President Baker coughed.

“What is it that you want, Mr. President?” Kara repeated. “If I’ve learned anything in my dealings with humans in the last few months, it is that every human has their price. For Commissioner Blaine it was diamonds, for Secretary Monroe it was gold. What do I need to pay for Ruby to come with us to Argo?”

“I don’t care for your insinuation, Captain,” the President scoffed. “Unlike some others in my administration, all of whom have been dealt with judiciously for their scrupulous behavior, I cannot be bought and sold…”

Lena couldn’t stand it anymore. She dropped Sam’s hand and stepped forward, pushing to stand by Kara’s side.

“President Baker, do you remember me?” Lena asked politely.

“Ah, Miss Luthor,” the President said, his tone changing to a forced politeness. “It is good to see you again. I haven’t seen you since…”

“Since you wagered a deal with my brother to purchase weapons tech for your private oil wars in Iran three years ago,” Lena said, her tone polite but steely. “I was just working at LuthorCorp for the summer at the time, but I do remember the negotiations.”

“Ah, yes, well,” the President stuttered. “You look well. I hope the Kryptonians are treating you well.”

“Of course they are,” Lena replied. “They’re extremely respectful of the women they Collect, more so than most humans I’ve dated in my life.”

“Oh, well, that’s good to hear,” President Baker huffed. “Miss Luthor, you of all people understand…”

“I understand that you are up for reelection this year and so you are afraid of the political ramifications of allowing the Kryptonians to take a child with them to Argo,” Lena said decisively. “Let me make something very clear to you, Mr. President. I believe I’ve already shown you that I’m very able to get in touch with the news media, even aboard a Kryptonian spacecraft. You are going to allow Ruby Arias to come to Argo with her mother, or your personal dealings with oil magnates in Iraq will only be one small detail that I leak to the news media.”

The President’s eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features and scoffed. “You’re bluffing.”

Lena smiled, a saccharine sweet expression she hadn’t used since she left the L-Corp boardroom. “My father did a lot of dealings with politicians, and so did Lex. And every single one of those politicians had skeletons in their closets. I know more than you could ever imagine, and I am not afraid to use that information to help the people I care about. So maybe you should think about that when you’re making your decision about what to do with Ruby Arias.”

The President looked down at his hands, which were white-knuckled on his desk. Finally he looked up at her.

“You’ll have my decision in twenty-four hours,” he said gruffly. “End transmission.”

The screen went blank and everyone stood in shocked silence for a long moment. Suddenly Kara whirled toward Lena and grasped her firmly by the shoulders.

“What have you done?” she demanded.

“Like you said, every human has their price. But Baker’s price isn’t money or riches, it’s power and influence.” Lena reached up and stroked her cheek slightly. “Do you trust me?”

Kara’s grip loosened and she sighed, taking Lena’s hand in hers and pressing it tighter against her cheek. “With all my heart.”

“Then trust me with this,” Lena said, turning her head to kiss Kara’s palm. “I need a tablet and unlimited access to the communications network. Oh, and, I might need to open a communication line with Winn for his assistance.”

Kara groaned. “This sounds complicated and possibly illegal.”

“Hmm, possibly,” Lena admitted.

“Do it,” Astra said from behind Kara. They both turned abruptly, surprised by the older Alpha’s insistence. “You will be given whatever you need to get this done, Miss Luthor.” She looked at Kara. “If I have learned anything in the past few weeks, it is that this mate you have chosen is very intelligent and very formidable when it comes to getting what she wants. Thank Rao she is on our side. And you’d better be good to her so we can keep it that way.”

Kara couldn’t help but grin. “I will do my best, Aunt Astra.”

“Good,” Astra said, but then her expression turned grim. “But she will have to take her work elsewhere. The Captains’ Coalition has called a meeting shortly and they will be on Comms.”

“You can work in my office,” Kara told her.

Lena nodded and gave Kara a quick kiss before turning to where Sam and Alex were standing with slightly confused faces.

“Seriously, Lena, what are you doing?” Sam asked.

Lena sighed and stiffened her spine. “I’m making sure they let us take Ruby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never underestimate a Luthor


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Luthor gets things done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Chapter 24

Lena had grown up knowing that her adoptive mother had little use for her. But that hadn’t stopped her from learning from Lillian, and one crucial lesson she had gathered from years in the Luthor matriarch’s shadow was this: information could be far more valuable than money. 

She spent the next several hours working with Winn and hacking into various systems on Earth— personal and professional computers, business files, security systems. It wasn’t all legal, but she was desperate, particularly after Kara came to her office after the Captains’ meeting.

The other ships would leave the following day, and Astra would be aboard one of them. The entire fleet couldn’t wait for the resolution of this situation and risk running out of fuel or supplies on their return journey to Argo. They would give Kara what extra fuel and supplies they could spare between them to hopefully buy them another day or two, but that was all that they could give.

Lena doubled down on her efforts, contacting news outlets directly with hints of the information she had gathered, and then sending messages directly to the politicians she had dug up dirt on, urging them to pressure President Baker into allowing the Kryptonians to take Ruby Arias.

When night came, Kara forced her to eat a bowl of cereal and then they curled up in bed together, both exhausted from the stress of the day. There was no sex, but there was something startlingly more intimate about wrapping themselves around each other in sleep and retreating from the reality of the outside world.

When morning came, all four of them were too nervous to eat, and neither Alpha pushed the subject. They entered the Control Room with determined expressions, and Astra only nodded her head in greeting before turning to the screen.

“Begin transmission,” the General ordered.

The screen blinked to life and showed a blank-faced President Baker. He glared into the screen with steely eyes and held his hands in clenched fists on the desk.

“President Baker,” General Astra greeted, her voice calm and cool. “It has been twenty-four hours. Do you have an update on the decisions related to Ruby Arias?”

Baker’s fists clenched harder, his knuckles blanching on the screen, and Lena held her breath. He wasted no time in polite greetings.

“Sole custody of Ruby Arias has been transferred to her biological mother, Samantha Arias,” the President said. “And because Samantha Arias has been deemed Collected by the United States Collection Bureau and is aboard your ship bound for Argo, it has been decided that Ruby Arias will accompany her mother. She is being transferred from the foster home where she was placed to the closest Collection Bureau where she can be escorted through a transmatter portal to your ship.”

Lena breathed a heavy sigh of relief and turned to look at Sam. The human woman’s brown eyes were shining with tears.

“And what of my family?” Sam asked, tightening her grip on Lena’s hands.

“Child protective services and local law enforcement are dealing with the Arias family,” President Baker assured her. “It may be an arduous process, but I assure you, Miss Arias, that justice will be sought and the children will be cared for.”

“You’ll make sure of it,” Lena said, her voice stiff.

The President’s gaze turned steely once more as he looked at Lena’s image on the screen. “I will _personally_ see to it, Miss Luthor.”

“Thank you, President Baker,” Lena replied genuinely. “If that is the case, then the information that I sent you will never see the light of day.”

The white-haired man shifted uncomfortably.

“Well, I for one am very glad this was all resolved amicably,” Kara said brightly, and Lena fought the urge to snort at the Kryptonian’s choice of words. “Thank you, Mr. President, for all your assistance. End transmission.”

As soon as the President’s image disappeared, Kara turned around with a broad smile and grabbed Lena around the waist, lifting her and spinning her around the Control Room.

“You did it!” she shouted happily.

“Kara, put me down!” Lena ordered, but her authority was lessened by the giggles that escaped her as Kara spun her again.

“Yes, Captain, some decorum,” Astra reminded her.

Kara stopped spinning and set Lena back on the ground before leaning to kiss her forehead. “I’m so proud of you.”

Lena practically beamed. Kara pulled away from her and turned to where Sam and Alex were standing.

“I’ll send James to turn on the transmatter portal and have Russ-El personally go to the Collection Bureau to get Ruby,” she said.

“Kara,” Astra interrupted, “you’re forgetting something.”

Kara turned, shoulders slumping, as Astra motioned to a large round device in the center of the room. This was their long-range communicator, the way they sent messages through space to Argo. Instead of instant communication like they currently had with Earth, they were only able to send recorded holographic messages back and forth— Lena thought of them as technologically-advanced voicemails.

“Have they replied to our message?” Kara asked, her tone instantly turning urgent.

“I received the transmission this morning,” Astra said, her voice low. “You aren’t going to like it.”

Kara stood straighter, her irritation showing. “You’ve already played it and you didn’t tell us?”

“I wanted to hear what the humans said first,” Astra replied.

“Did they say no?” Sam asked.

Astra sighed. “Not exactly. It’s best if you hear it for yourselves.”

They all gathered closer to the hologram projector as Astra pulled up the transmission. After a long moment, the blue figure of a severe-looking man wearing heavy robes appeared above the projector.

“Councilman Jul Us,” Astra said, which seemed to trigger the hologram to begin speaking.

“General Astra Ze, Captain Kara El, word has reached the Kryptonian High Council of Argo of your unusual circumstances during the Collection Procedure,” the man began. “Your request to return to Argo with the Collected human Samantha Arias and her biological offspring, Ruby Arias, has been heavily debated amongst our Council. While we agree with your concerns about the female’s safety, and that of her child, and your conclusion that Argo would be a safer place for the two of them than Earth, we also have our concerns. Namely, that a female adjusting to life on Argo would find it difficult to care for her offspring on her own, and that Kandor city, while equipped for all aspects of life for unmated women, is not equipped for the needs of a child. Therefore, though difficult, we have made our decision based on these factors.”

The man drew a deep breath. “Samantha Arias and her biological offspring, Ruby Arias, will be allowed to come to Argo only if Samantha Arias takes a mate among the Kryptonian Alphas and undergoes the genetic modification procedure to become an Omega before returning to Argo. This way, she and her offspring will have the protection and guidance of an Alpha and their House, and upon return to Argo they may reside in the general population of our planet, where we have the structure in place to care for and educate our young. If she chooses _not_ to take a Kryptonian mate, Samantha Arias may return to Earth to be with her offspring, as we do not believe in separating a mother and her child.”

The hologram blinked twice before disappearing completely. The room was silent for a long moment as the Council’s decision processed in each of their minds.

“So… I have to mate with one of the Alphas?” Sam said, her voice shaky and fearful.

Kara roared in frustration, kicking the closest chair so hard that the metal base bent. Lena’s own emotions mirrored her mate’s, but Kara’s outburst distracted her from her own anger.

“Calm, Captain,” Astra said, turning quickly to grab Kara’s shoulders. “Calm, little one.”

“I will not allow them to take away another human’s freedom to choose,” Kara shouted. “I made that mistake already, and I will not do it again.”

“Hey,” Lena soothed, grabbing Kara’s hand in her own. “Hey, it’s alright. We’ll figure this out.”

“They’re allowing me to choose the Alpha, at least,” Sam said, crossing her arms and gripping her forearms tightly. “It’s fast but…”

“Sam, are you sure you’re ready for that?” Alex asked.

Sam’s face paled. “I’m not… I’m not sure I’m ready for the mating part of it, but it’s for Ruby. I can do it for her.”

“Sam…” Alex said, stroking the human’s arms lightly.

“But what Alpha is going to agree to this?” Sam demanded anxiously. “I’m not… I’ve been… I have a daughter, I have baggage.”

“You’re also beautiful and kind and wonderful,” Alex assured her. “Any Alpha would be happy to be your mate.”

Sam looked up at Alex with wide eyes. “You really think so?”

“Yeah,” Alex said, blushing. “I mean… I would.”

Sam’s eyes widened impossibly farther. “You would?”

Alex nodded vehemently. “I would.”

“I— I think—“ Sam stuttered.

“Sam, can I talk to you for a minute?” Lena asked, interrupting their moment. The human nodded rapidly, and Lena grabbed her hand and pulled her from the Control Room, in spite of the concerned expressions on the three Alphas’ faces. Once the doors were safely closed behind them, she pulled Sam into a tight embrace.

“Lena,” Sam murmured into her shoulder, tears streaming down her face.

“I know, just let it out,” Lena coaxed. “You’re safe, it’s alright.”

Sam cried for several long minutes and Lena just held her, supporting the lithe woman’s weight on her shoulders. When finally Sam’s tears turned into soft hiccups, Lena pulled back slightly.

“Better?” she asked.

Sam nodded. “Much. I needed that.”

“Good, I thought so,” Lena said. “Now, I want you to think of this calmly. Just because Alex said she’s willing doesn’t mean she’s the only Alpha on board who would be. I’m sure we can do some sort of space speed dating or something to find another Alpha on board that would be interested in, if you’re not attracted to Alex.”

“No, it’s not… I am, I think,” Sam interrupted.

“You’re what?” Lena asked.

“Attracted to her,” Sam replied, blushing brightly. “I mean…” Sam scoffed. “I was raised to believe that being attracted to another woman was sinful, but I’ve always… I’ve felt attraction to both men and women before. I tried for years to suppress it, but then I started researching and found that there are a lot of people out there who don’t believe same-sex attraction is sinful, they believe it’s just how God made some people. Besides, Kryptonians aren’t even the same species, they have more than male and female, so I’m not even sure my family’s beliefs apply to them.”

“So you’re attracted to Alex, that’s a good start.” Lena wasn’t particularly surprised, based on their interactions since Sam came onto the ship. “But beyond that…”

“She makes me feel safe,” Sam replied softly. “I trust her, and I would trust her with Ruby. She’s been so good to me, over the last few days. I think… I mean, marriages have been founded on less than that, right?”

“I suppose,” Lena sighed. “Sam, you should know… Kryptonians mate for life. And these Alphas, they’ve been given one chance to mate. If you undergo the genetic modification process using Alex’s DNA, and things don’t work out, Alex can’t choose another mate ever again.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “Then why would she want to use it on me?”

“I think she feels the same way about you that Kara felt about me,” Lena told her honestly. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you… And the way you look at her. I get the feeling that you feel the same way about her that I felt about Kara at first. I don’t know what it is that connects us to these Kryptonians, but it’s definitely something.”

“I— I should talk to Alex some more,” Sam said, looking down at her feet.

“Are you ready to go back in there?” Lena asked, and Sam nodded.

When they returned to the Control Room, Kara was gripping Alex hard by the shoulders.

“Alex, are you sure about this?”

Alex just smiled at her. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“Alex?” Sam said as they stepped closer.

The auburn-haired Alpha stepped away from her adoptive-sister and toward the slightly-taller human. 

“Sam, I—“ the Alpha began and stuttered. She reached for the other woman’s hand and took it gently. “I’m not from a high house, like Kara. I can’t offer you everything a noble could. But I can offer you my protection, and my care, to you and to Ruby. And I promise, Sam, that I won’t pressure you into anything you’re not ready for. I just… I just want you to be happy. And I think we could maybe be happy together, if you’re willing.”

Sam looked at Alex with wide eyes, then swallowed hard and set her jaw. “Do you promise to love Ruby like she’s your own flesh and blood?”

“With all my heart,” Alex assured her.

“And you promise to never raise a hand to her or me in anger?” Sam demanded.

Alex’s eyes grew. “Of course notI would never… I promise.”

“And you promise to never force me to do any sexual acts against my will?” Sam asked, her voice cracking.

“I promise,” Alex said, nodding for emphasis.

Lena could see Sam’s grip on Alex’s hand tightened.

“Then I accept your proposal,” Sam said, and suddenly she burst into giggles. “You know, of all the scenarios for a marriage proposal I ever dreamed up in my head, it was never anything like this.”

“I’ll make it up to you someday,” Alex replied.

“As much as I truly hate interrupting this joyous occasion, we are on a fixed schedule here,” Astra said abruptly. “We must begin the genetic modification on Samantha immediately so we can send word to the Council that their orders are being followed.”

“Of course, General, right away,” Alex agreed.

“I will send the message as soon as it is begun, but then I must take a transport ship to Captain Wayne’s vessel and begin the return journey to Argo,” Astra replied. “Kara, once the child is on board, you have twenty-four hours to begin the ship’s return to Argo. Any longer and you risk running out of fuel.”

“Yes, General, I understand,” Kara replied.

——

Lena sat by Sam’s side in the Medical Bay as the intravenous line carrying the Kryptonian genetic material flowed into her body. Sam was feeling slight chills as her body reacted to the transfusion, but Alex had given her a thick blanket before being pulled away by a cook who had cut their hand with a sharp knife.

Kara was waiting by the transmatter portal. She had sent Russ-El to retrieve Ruby from Earth, as he had that authority as a Collections Officer, but she was waiting to greet them as soon as they came onto the ship.

“I can’t wait to see her,” Sam said tearfully, twisting the blankets in her hands. “I’ve never been apart from her for this long, not since she was born.”

“It’s going to be a big adjustment for her,” Lena said. Kara had assured her that some of the therapists they had on board to help the Collected women could also help with Sam and Ruby as they acclimated to this new life. “But at least she’ll have her mother, her _real_ mother.”

“I can finally tell her the truth,” Sam sighed. “I think… I think she might know already. Or at least suspect. She’s said things before… I’ve always taken care of her, even more than Patricia, and she’s commented before that I’m more like her mom than her sister. Sometimes I thought she might know, but I brushed it off because I thought it was best for her.”

Sam’s voice cracked. “When she first started talking, she called me _Mama_ , and Patricia said I should pinch her whenever she did it so that she would stop. But I never did because it would make her cry.”

“Sam, that’s awful,” Lena said, shocked that anyone would do such a thing.

“My parents said it was the best thing for her,” Sam explained through tears. “Am I doing the right thing, Lena? Or am I selfish? They always told me I was doing what was best for her, letting her be raised by them, as part of the family. But she’s _mine_.”

“Yes, she’s yours,” Lena soothed. “She’s yours and you love her more than anyone else in this universe could possibly love her. She needs that love more than anything, Sam. The rest you can figure out together.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asked.

Lena bit her lip. “Do you know why I decided to help you get Ruby?”

Sam shook her head.

“When I was four, my biological mother died,” Lena told her. “I was adopted by the Luthors. Turns out Lionel was my biological father, he and my mother had an affair, but I didn’t find out until I was an adult. My adoptive mother, Lillian, resented me my entire life for that. I was young when my mother died, but old enough to remember certain things. I remember how she loved me, how deep and how wide her love was for me. I know it’s not the same for all parents and their children, but I can see that kind of love in you, for Ruby, and I know that kind of love can’t be replaced by something else. The best place for Ruby is with you, where she can grow up with that kind of all-encompassing love.”

“Sam?”

They both turned toward the doorway to see Kara standing with her arms behind her back. Before they could respond, a smaller figure peeked around her.

“Ruby!” Sam shouted, flinging her arms out from beneath the blanket.

The girl ran from behind Kara and jumped into the cot with Sam, burying her face into the older woman’s chest. She shook with soft sobs even as she clung to Sam fiercely.

“You’re really here,” Ruby said finally between sobs. “They told me… They told me the aliens took you, and then people came and took all of us from the house and they said… Sam, they said so many things…”

“I know,” Sam said, wrapping her arms around Ruby and rocking her body slightly back and forth. “I know, and I’m so sorry you had to go through all that. I promise it’s all going to be better from now on, I promise, I promise…”

Kara nudged Lena’s shoulder. “Maybe we should give them some privacy?”

Lena nodded. She took Kara’s hand as the Captain led her away from the Med Bay and through the halls.

“I heard what you said to Sam,” Kara said after a moment, “about your mother.”

Lena shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”

“But you still miss her,” Kara said.

“Just like you miss your mother,” Lena replied.

Kara shifted from one foot to the other. “If you ever want to talk about her, I’ll listen, you know.”

“I know,” Lena said with a smile.

“But if you don’t, that’s okay too,” Kara said quickly.

Lena chuckled and squeezed Kara’s hand reassuringly. “It’s alright, Kara…” She took a deep breath. “Her name was Kieran…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know, I hate what the Council decided, but I promise Alex and Sam are going to work out. It won’t be easy but it’s gonna be good.
> 
> Next chapter: They leave for Argo


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, trouble, smut, in that order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: I went back and made one more edit since I reposted (I know, I'm sorry). Any mentions of Ava Sharpe and Sara Lance were changed to Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, respectively. This was basically the chapter where Winn returns to the other ship, and the chapter where Kara and Lena get some in Kara's office. I added Ava into the scene where Lena goes to the holding cells, so Lena has seen her, but doesn't know her well.
> 
> Why? Because some people had asked to actually see Ava and Sara, I love Ava and Sara, and they kind of fit into this next part of the plot I wanted to write. But they will be a very minor side ship, even more minor than Alex and Sam. But I do love my side-ships, they make me happy.
> 
> Oh and, heads up, there's one other character from another show that I've slipped into this chapter.
> 
> Now that that's out of the way... here's almost 5000 words because apparently I don't know how to write a short chapter anymore.

Apparently hurtling through space at speeds Lena couldn’t entirely comprehend even with her engineering degree had some unpleasant side effects on the human body. Which was why the following morning, eighteen hours into the two-month journey to Argo, found Lena curled in the fetal position in bed barely holding down the crackers she had eaten for breakfast. It was by far the worst motion-sickness she had ever experienced, worse than the time Lex took her flying, even worse than the time Andrea dragged her to a local fair near their boarding school and dared her to go on a ridiculous rollercoaster. If she even dared to sit up, the room would begin spinning and her head felt as if it might detach from her body entirely. And the nausea— _God_ , the nausea.

The door slid open and Kara rushed in, a deep, worried frown etched into her face.

“Okay, Alex gave me something that will hopefully make it better,” she said, approaching the bed. She placed a small vial on the bedside table. “Anti-nausea medication to mix with the ginger tea that Kelex is bringing in just a minute. And also: these.”

She opened her hand with a flourish to reveal two small dime-sized discs. Lena looked from the devices to her mate’s face skeptically.

“They send out electrical impulses that trick your brain into thinking you’re standing still,” Kara said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I just need to move your hair out of the way…”

She ever-so-gently moved Lena’s sweat-soaked hair from the back of her neck before picking up the small devices. She carefully placed them on either side of Lena’s spine, right at the base of her skull, and Lena felt a slight warming sensation that quickly faded into nothing.

“There you go,” Kara said. “They should stay in place even when you’re bathing. Alex can remove them with a magnetized device once we reach Argo. She’s busy right now giving them to about half of the women who were Collected.”

Lena sat up but her vision still spun as she did so. Kara tugged her gently against her side and rubbed her arm soothingly.

“I forgot to mention that it’ll take a few hours to take effect,” she murmured and Lena groaned. “At least it’ll be better soon, right?”

“I guess,” Lena grumbled weakly. “I swear, Kara, if this lasts for the entire trip, I might actually kill you.”

“It won’t, I swear,” Kara told her. “Once you get your space legs—“

“My _what_?” Lena asked.

“Space legs? You know, like sea legs?” Kara grinned.

Lena just groaned again. “This is not the time to be funny.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara murmured, kissing her temple.

Kelex entered with a steaming pot of tea, which Kara mixed the vial of medication into and held up to Lena’s lips. Lena didn’t even balk at being babied, just sipped the hot liquid as she leaned limply against Kara’s side. She downed about half a cup before her stomach began protesting and she had to take a break.

“I don’t like you being sick,” Kara said petulantly, and Lena actually managed to bark out a laugh.

“Trust me, I don’t like it either,” she replied. “I’m glad I have you, though. I’ve never really had anyone who would take care of me when I’m sick, unless you count the nannies when I was a child. Lionel was always busy and Lillian couldn’t be bothered and she would always order Lex to stay away so he wouldn’t catch whatever I had. I’m sorry if I’m not a very good patient.”

“You’re the best patient,” Kara said, placing another kiss against her forehead.

“It must be worse for the others,” Lena speculated, thinking of the other Collected women on board the ship. “Well, this whole thing is definitely worse for them. But it’s easier having you, and Andrea and Russ and everyone else. It’s probably a bit easier on Sam as well, since she has so much support here.”

Kara sighed. “Hopefully the Collected women will make connections soon. I think that’s the key to helping them settle in.”

“Maybe I could go—”

“No!” Kara exclaimed, startling Lena. The Alpha quickly turned contrite and stroked Lena’s arm comfortingly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, but… No, not yet. The women are still… volatile, to say the least, especially those who were inmates. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be safe for you there. Even with me there or other Kryptonians protecting you, if one of them attacked and then we harmed the human while subduing them…”

“It would be a shitshow,” Lena surmised.

Kara snorted. “Yes, precisely.”

“I understand,” Lena said, sipping more of her tea. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all that.”

Kara shrugged, jostling Lena slightly. “It’s part of the job. I would rather be the one doing it than trusting someone else. I try my best to take care of the women, in spite of the less-than-ideal situation.”

“As far as I can tell, you do your job well,” Lena told her, and Kara’s cheeks pinked.

“Well,” she said bashfully, “it’s easier to do when I know I can come back to you.”

“Charmer,” Lena teased. She sipped her tea in silence for a few minutes.

“Are you okay, though?” Kara asked finally.

Lena raised a brow. “What do you mean? I’m still a bit nauseated but—”

“No, not… Not that,” Kara sighed. “I forget, sometimes, how difficult this must still be for you. You seem to be happy, but I have to remind myself that you’re leaving your home. I know that can’t be easy. Do you miss it?”

Lena gripped her cup a bit tighter as she thought. “A bit. Some things. Some people. But, the thing is, I never quite felt at home on Earth. It probably sounds silly. Maybe I felt at home when I was a little girl, living with my biological mother. But I never felt at home with the Luthors. Boarding school wasn’t home, either. I’ve just never quite felt like any place was really mine.”

“I hope you’ll like our home, on Argo,” Kara said sincerely. “I want you to like it, and make it yours.”

Before Lena could reply, Kelex floated back into the room.

“Lady Kara, there is a problem in Quadrant Three,” Kelex told her.

Kara sighed. “That’ll be the inmates.”

“Go on, I feel much better,” Lena assured her as she stood from the bed.

“How’s my hair?” Kara asked, running her fingers through the ends.

“Perfect, I honestly hate how easy it is for you to curl your hair,” Lena told her.

Kara just grinned. “You like my hair.”

“Hmm,” Lena hummed noncommittally as Kara bent to give her a goodbye kiss.

“Just rest for today,” Kara told her. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

“See you at dinner,” Lena replied, although her stomach still turned at the thought of food.”

——

“Where are they, Mom?”

Lena looked up from her plate to where Sam and Ruby were seated across from her. Sam’s eyes still widened whenever Ruby called her _Mom_ but the preteen had been adamant about calling her by that title as soon as she was told that Sam was her real mother. Lena had only known Ruby for a short while, but she could already tell that she was going to like the strong-willed, no-nonsense preteen. Much like her mother, Ruby had latched on to Alex as a lifeline on the ship, and it was Alex and Kara’s absence that had her looking around the dining hall with curious eyes.

“Alex said she was treating the Collected women for motion sickness, just like she did for you this morning,” Sam told her, rubbing her daughter’s back.

“But she said she would join us for dinner,” Ruby groused.

“I’m sure they’ll be here shortly,” Lena said. “Why don’t you go get some more of those dumplings you liked so much?”

Ruby’s eyes widened and she looked around at Sam. “Can I, Mom?”

“Of course, you can have whatever you want,” Sam told her. Ruby jumped up from her seat, then looked back at Sam hesitantly. “You can go, it’s right there. I’ll be right here when you get back, I promise.”

Ruby nodded. Sam watched her go, even though they were sitting in the row of tables closest to the serving tables.

“Is her stomach still bothering her?” Lena asked. “I noticed she didn’t get much to eat on her plate.”

“No, it’s not that,” Sam sighed. “The Ariases… Well, our food was always rationed out. With a family that large, it’s necessary, but more than that, sometimes things were a bit tight. There were some meals when we were still hungry after our portions. The girls especially were taught that we should eat less than the boys because we had to watch our figures, and that we had to make sure the little ones got enough. Once Ruby turned ten Patricia really started being strict about how much she was eating. It might take her a while to get used to eating as much as she wants.”

Lena’s eyes widened in realization. She reached across the table and took Sam’s hand in her own. “You realize that that means you can eat as much as you want as well, right?”

Sam sighed and looked down at her plate. “Oh, yeah…”

“Go get your own plate of seconds,” Lena told her, and Sam grabbed her plate and joined Ruby at the buffet.

Even after Sam and Ruby had eaten their second helpings and they had all three split a large piece of lemon cake, Kara and Alex were nowhere to be found. Lena invited Sam and Ruby back to her quarters to watch a movie, and the trio were halfway to their quadrant when an alarm sounded throughout the ship. Red lights flashed along the corridor, illuminating it in an eerie glow that sent Lena’s heart pounding.

“Initiating lockdown procedures,” an automated voice announced. “All occupants please return to your quarters.”

“What’s happening?” Ruby asked fearfully.

“I don’t know,” Lena said, looking around. “Come on, we need to do what it says. You’re closer to my quarters than yours, just come with me.”

“Initiating lockdown proce—” The automated voice cut off with a hiss, but the red lights continued blinking. Lena grabbed one of Ruby’s hands and Sam grabbed the other and they hurried through the corridor.

They had just made it past the doors to the lifts that traveled to the ship’s other levels when the doors to one hissed open. Lena froze, hoping against hope that she would see Kara or Alex or maybe both of them emerge from the doors. Instead, a dozen or so human women spilled out of the sliding doors and into the corridor. Their eyes were wide, and they all held makeshift weapons— clubs, batons, some even held broken glass bottles that were already stained with blood. Just as that revelation sunk in, Lena’s eyes met the gaze of the blonde woman at the head of the group.

“Run,” Lena ordered, pulling Ruby along with her. She could hear the rabble of women behind them as she passed various rooms. Suddenly Ruby stumbled and cried out, pulling both women back. Lena pulled Ruby and Sam to their feet, but the other humans were quickly gaining on them. She looked around and realized they were near a storage room. She pressed her hand against the door and it slid open, revealing shelves full of spare bedding. She shoved Sam and Ruby into the tight space, realizing it was barely room for the mother and daughter, and ignored their protests as she ordered the door to close. She turned to make one more run for it, to lead the other women away from Sam and Ruby’s hiding place, when something skittered across the floor and tripped her up.

Lena landed with a grunt and rolled over as the group of women rounded the corner. The petite blonde woman was still in front, her piercing blue eyes freezing Lena in place like the ice they so resembled.

“You don’t need to run,” she said, her voice calm, like she was speaking to a wounded deer. “We’re not going to hurt humans.”

Lena didn’t believe the woman at all, but she stayed still anyway, knowing at this point that she couldn’t outrun the group.

“Can’t blame me for panicking,” Lena said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “It isn’t everyday on the ship I see people with bloody weapons running after me.”

“Like I said, we don’t wanna hurt ya,” the blonde said, offering Lena her free hand— in the other she held two long makeshift batons. Lena took it hesitantly, and the woman pulled her to her feet. “We’re just trying to find a way off this ship.”

“There isn’t one,” Lena said quickly.

One of the other women snorted.

“Yeah, thousands of souls on board and no lifeboats,” the blonde said skeptically. “I don’t exactly believe that.”

“Lance—” a brunette woman said, but the blonde held up her hand to silence her. Something about the name and this woman’s appearance made Lena’s memory stir, but she couldn’t quite put it together.

“I’m not surprised they wouldn’t tell you about a way off the ship,” she said, looking Lena up and down. “I’d wanna keep you if I had you in my bed, too.”

“ _Lance_ ,” the woman said again, this time with more volume, but the blonde ignored her again.

“Even if you don’t know a way off, you probably know where the Control Room is for this boat,” the woman said. “Zari here is an expert hacker, that’s what got her in prison in the first place. I’m sure she can figure out how to hijack this motherfucker and turn it around.”

“SARA!” the brunette shouted, and Lena’s eyes widened as the woman’s full name jogged her memory.

“What, Zari?” Sara Lance demanded.

“You’re Sara Lance?” Lena asked, pulling her attention away again. “You’re _the_ Sara Lance? _The White Canary_ Sara Lance?”

Sara grinned salaciously. “So you have heard of me?”

Of course Lena had heard of The White Canary, she was a fucking legend, one of the world’s most feared assassins until her arrest two years prior. She was a Luthor, afterall, death threats and assassination attempts were par the course, especially when she had an asshole of a brother like Lex. She didn’t say all that outloud, though, just nodded in response and the blonde’s grin widened.

“Well, you know my name, what’s yours?” Sara asked.

“Sara, that’s what I was trying to tell you,” Zari said urgently. “That’s Lena Luthor, _the Lena Luthor_ , the one who’s been all over the news. She’s mated to the Captain of the ship.”

The expression on Sara’s face changed from flirtatious to dangerous so fast it almost knocked the air out of Lena’s lungs. She suddenly had the urge to back away from the small woman, like an animal fleeing a predator.

“Is that so?” Sara said thoughtfully. “That’s very interesting. You mean the Captain’s mate doesn’t know where the emergency exits are on this ship?”

Lena shook her head adamantly, not trusting her voice to speak. Sara studied her with a raised brow.

“I don’t believe you, but it doesn’t matter,” she said. “If the Captain wants her pretty mate back in one piece, she’ll give us what we want.”

Lena made to run again, but before she could the petite assassin grabbed her and pinned her to her front, crossing her baton over her neck in a choke hold.

“Not so fast, Luthor,” Sara said, breathing heavily against her ear. “Not until I get what I want.”

There were suddenly shouts and from behind the group Kryptonian crewmembers stormed the wide hall. The women turned to fight, and Sara’s grip around Lena’s neck loosened, giving her an opportunity.

Lena grabbed at the metal beam that wasn’t pressed to her neck and yanked it out of Sara’s hand, pulling it free. She slammed it into Sara’s shin at the same time she threw her head back into the blonde’s face, almost breaking her nose. She pulled free of the assassin’s grip, but instead of running away she turned and raised the baton defensively, blocking the woman’s escape.

“Not a smart choice,” the woman said, taking a fighting chance. “You know I was trained by the League of Assassins?”

“Yeah, well, I’m a Luthor,” Lena replied arrogantly.

And it was true, she _was_ a Luthor and she _had_ learned self-defense from Lex’s bodyguard Mercy Graves and she _had_ almost been an Olympic-level fencer, but those things weren’t quite up to par with _League of Assassins_ and Lena knew it. But she also knew that she needed to keep the woman from escaping and causing more trouble. She was honestly surprised that she was able to hold her own for what little time she did, countering Sara’s blows and keeping herself between the woman and her escape route, but the petite woman was remarkably quick as well as skilled. She landed a particularly hard blow to Lena’s ribs and then made a wide sweeping kick that knocked Lena’s legs from under her. Lena’s back hit the floor with a thud and the wind left her lungs.

“Nice try, Luthor,” Sara said, bending to pull the baton from her grasp.

Before she could, a larger blonde form hit her from the side, knocking her away. For a moment Lena thought it was Kara, but as the two separated she realized it was another Alpha. She racked her brain for the Kryptonian’s name, finally remembering— Ava. Sara bared her teeth in frustration as she swung wildly at the Kryptonian, but Ava raised her own weapon— a white retractable baton Lena had seen the ship’s security guard carry— in defense. The Alpha’s skill was obvious, but so was Sara’s, and they danced around each other through the corridor.

When one rush from Sara brought them toward Lena, she rolled quickly out of the way, bumping into another body against the wall. Lena screamed, as did the dark-complected woman she had run into, who looked at her with wide brown eyes. She held a broken bottle in her hand defensively, but it had no bloodstains and she made no move to strike Lena.

“Easy, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” Lena said.

The woman nodded and lowered the bottle. She and Lena tucked themselves against the wall, staying out of the way as the Alphas subdued other women and Ava and Sara continued to fight.

“I’m Lena,” Lena said, offering her hand to the other woman.

“Sophie,” she said, dropping the broken bottle and shaking Lena’s hand. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t know they were going to hurt anyone, not really. I just… I just want to go back to Earth.”

“Understandable,” Lena acknowledged.

A sudden roar interrupted their introduction, and a thick bitter scent filled the air. The Alphas all tightened their grips on their subdued targets, working together to place restraints on the women. Ava looked up from her fight and Sara took that moment to come down hard with a blow to the Alpha’s head, but it only enraged the Alpha. She moved quickly, throwing down her baton and ripping Sara’s from her hands before grabbing her by the wrists and restraining her.

“Let me go!” Sara exclaimed.

“Trust me, you’d rather me beat you than the Captain whose mate you threatened,” Ava hissed through gritted teeth as she maneuvered restraints onto Sara’s wrists.

Kara charged into the corridor, blue eyes wide with fury. She took in the scene that awaited her, nostrils flaring as she searched for one scent. When her eyes landed on Lena she rushed forward and yanked her to her feet.

“Are you hurt?” she demanded, looking Lena over.

“Bruised, maybe, but nothing major,” Lena assured her.

Kara growled at that, looking around. Her eyes landed on the woman beside her. “Did she—?”

“No, it wasn’t Sophie,” Lena said quickly. “I don’t think Sophie hurt anyone, least of all me. She was just caught up in trying to get off the ship and back to Earth.”

Sophie nodded quickly. Kara just growled and pulled Lena closer to her side.

“This one was their leader,” Ava said, yanking Sara toward Kara. “Sara Lance.”

Kara growled. “Did you harm my mate?”

Lena could see the glint in Kara’s eyes, the one that meant her Alpha side was barely restrained. She looked around at the women, at Sara Lance. They were dangerous, yes, Sara more than others, but they were also scared. Even beneath the arrogant jut of her jaw and the bravado she cloaked herself in, Lena could see the fear in her eyes, so resemblant of her own emotions when she first came aboard the Kryptonian vessel.

She couldn’t let Kara hurt them.

“Kara, calm yourself,” Lena said before anyone could speak. “Look at them, Kara. They’re afraid. They’ve been taken from their planet against their will. They’re just like me, just like that first night when you brought me here and I tried to run from you, except they managed to get their hands on weapons.”

Kara looked at her with wide eyes. “You would’ve harmed me?”

“In a heartbeat, and you know it,” she replied.

Kara studied her for a long moment, then she snorted in agreement. She looked around at the women and steeled her expression.

“Take them to the holding cells,” she said. “We will review the security footage to determine which of them led the revolt, and which ones harmed our crew members. Those will be punished, but with labor, not with pain.”

A chorus of _Yes, Captain_ s echoed through the corridor and the Alphas led the women away. Kara leaned closer to Lena.

“Does that please you?” she asked.

Before Lena could respond in the affirmative, Alex came running down the hall.

“Kara! Lena! I can’t find Sam and Ruby!” she exclaimed.

Kara turned to Lena with wide eyes and Lena hurried away from her.

“Oh, it’s fine, they’re right here,” she said, pressing her palm against the storage room door. Mother and daughter tumbled out and Alex immediately pulled them into a tight hug.

“I was so worried about you two,” Alex said, pressing a soft kiss to Sam’s cheek and then to the top of Ruby’s head.

Lena’s attention was pulled away, literally, as Kara tugged on her arm. The Alpha gripped her hand tightly as she pulled her down the corridor, all the way to the door of their quarters. Kara didn’t speak as she led Lena through the living area and into the bedroom, where she turned abruptly, her body practically vibrating with energy.

“I’m okay, Kara,” Lena soothed, but neither her words nor her tone had any effect on the Alpha.

Kara reached for her and tore open her shirt, uncaring of the ruined material as she tossed it aside, and then did the same to her pants. Lena kicked off her shoes before Kara could find a way to rip those as well. Kara’s thick, spicy scent filled the air but it was mixed with something acrid. Her pants were tented with her arousal, yet her brows were furrowed with worry as she inspected Lena’s body for injury. Her gaze fell on Lena’s side and she growled lowly, bending to her knees to inspect what Lena knew was probably the beginnings of an impressive bruise.

“I should take you to the Med Bay to have this looked at,” Kara growled angrily.

“It’s just a bruise, Kara, it’s fine,” Lena said, rubbing her hands over Kara’s shoulders. “It’s sore but it’s not serious.”

“It could’ve been,” Kara huffed. “It could’ve… They could’ve…”

“Shh, my mate,” Lena said, pulling Kara closer, finally understanding what drove her panic. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

Kara bent and caught Lena’s lips in a deep, urgent kiss. The bitter tang still invaded Lena’s nose, but it was slowly being overtaken by Kara’s mating scent. Lena could practically taste Kara’s fear and anger on her tongue as the Alpha kissed her desperately.

Quickly but carefully Kara swept her from her feet and laid her down on the bed. She pulled away and Lena thought she would remove her uniform, but instead Kara moved lower, between Lena’s spread legs, and buried her face in Lena’s heat.

Lena gasped as Kara tasted her. For long moments there was no rhyme or reason to her movements, only taking in the sweet taste of her mate, but then she flattened her tongue and moved up to Lena’s clit, finding a rhythm that quickly drove Lena to her breaking point. She wasn’t sure if it was the residual adrenaline from before, or simply her body’s primal response to her mate, but before Lena could even compose herself she was coming beneath Kara’s mouth, gasping and bucking her hips against Kara’s firm hold as her body lit up with pleasure.

Kara looked up at her with gleaming lips and bright eyes as Lena panted for air.

“Suit off,” Lena ordered, and Kara was quick to comply. She rose and stripped from her uniform so quickly that Lena hadn’t even caught her breath by the time she settled back into the cradle of her hips.

There was no preamble— skin met skin and Kara entered her in one shattering moment, making Lena cry out in pleasure and slight pain at the wonderful stretch. Kara claimed Lena’s lips with her own and began rocking her hips, driving into her mate with desperate focus. She was rough and yet careful, never once jostling Lena in a way that hurt her bruised side, holding herself above her mate’s body so that she didn’t put pressure on her. Lena spread her legs wider and dug her nails into Kara’s shoulders with gratitude.

Suddenly Kara gasped, pulling away from Lena’s lips as her body shook and she exploded inside Lena. She shuddered as her climax rocked her and a spicy scent filled the air. Lena groaned but she stroked Kara’s shoulders, understanding her mate’s urgency.

“Lena, I’m sorry, I—” Kara began.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Lena soothed, tracing patterns over her mate’s shoulders. “I know why you needed this.”

“Needed you,” Kara said, bending to kiss her deeply. “Needed… Need to see you come again.”

There was definitely something to be said for Kryptonian stamina, Lena thought, as Kara began to thrust again, her ardor unsated from one climax alone. She angled her hips slightly, until with each thrust the fat head of her cock struck the front of Lena’s passage and the sensitive nerve endings there. Lena’s cries rose in pitch with each thrust as she wound tighter and tighter once more, until finally Kara reached down between them and strummed her rough fingers over Lena’s clit.

“Come for me, my mate,” Kara gasped against her lips. “Come for me, _i zhao_.”

Lena’s orgasm hit her with the force of a freight train. Her muscles clamped down on Kara even as the Alpha surged forward, burying her swollen knot inside Lena and causing another flash of pleasure to rock the Omega’s body. Hot flares of pleasure radiated through Lena’s body from where they were joined, all the way to the ends of her fingers and the tips of her toes. She could feel Kara coming inside her again, the warm surge a soothing reminder of who she belonged to. Lena sighed as Kara carefully rolled them so that she wasn’t squishing her mate and positioned Lena atop her.

Kara arched up and rubbed her neck against Lena, scent marking her even further, though Lena was certain she carried Kara’s scent on every surface of her body at this point, even inside her.

“Mine,” Kara growled out, but the tone was bereft of violence.

“Hmm, I think you’ve made that clear,” Lena said, running her finger soothingly down the Alpha’s torso.

“I didn’t hurt you?” Kara asked, looking down at her body awkwardly.

“No, you were perfect,” Lena assured her. “I’m made of tougher stuff than I look, Captain.”

“I’m very aware that you’re tough, _i zhao_ ,” Kara replied, kissing her forehead. “But I can’t bear the thought of someone hurting you.”

“A caged animal will try to run, Kara,” Lena sighed. “And when you corner them, they attack.”

“I know,” Kara said, pressing her forehead against Lena’s. “You give me… a new perspective. A much needed one. I will keep that in mind as I move forward with these women, I promise you.”

“Thank you,” Lena said, kissing Kara’s cheek once more.

“Just promise me you won’t go charging into danger,” Kara told her.

“Hey!” Lena exclaimed. “There was no changing! We just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time this time, I swear!”

“Hmm, seems to happen a lot with you, _i zhao_ ,” she said, rubbing her nose against Lena’s affectionately. 

Lena sighed. “I’m a Luthor. We’re magnets for trouble, apparently.”

“Perhaps we should look into teaching you more about how to defend yourself, if you are going to keep attracting trouble like this,” Kara speculated.

“And who’s going to teach me?” Lena asked. “You?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly this turned into one of my favorite chapters I've written. I love soft fluffy Supercorp and I love Lena kicking ass and I love desperate smutty Supercorp so this just hit all of my kinks. Hope you guys enjoyed it too! Comments give me life!


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you must overcome the past to do what is right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How’s everybody doing? Keeping your heads up during this crazy time? Here’s your latest update to distract you from the “real” world.
> 
> Also, just assume when anyone is talking to a Daxamite that they’re speaking Kryptonese, including Lena. I was too lazy to do italics every time they were supposed to be speaking another language. Or just imagine they’re speaking English. If the TV show can have all these other planets speaking perfect English without any explanation, so can I.

“Ow, ow, motherfucker! Ow, shit! Dammit, Lucy, that hurt!”

The petite woman grinned ferally. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth, Luthor?”

Lena shook the pain out of her arm. “If you ever met my mother, you’d understand why the answer to that question is a resounding _no_.”

Lucy snorted, standing back and taking her position on the mat. “Too chicken shit to try again?”

“Nope, I’m gonna break that hold before the day’s over even if it kills me,” Lena told her, assuming her own position.

When Kara had suggested Lena learn self-defense, she had no intention of teaching her herself. Instead she asked Lucy, whose military background and general badassery meant she was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Training with Lucy had become part of Lena’s daily routine, both early-morning exercises and afternoon fight training. Some mornings Sam would join them for their workouts, but she was usually busy with Ruby when their afternoon sessions rolled around. Lena had once suggested she bring Ruby, but Sam had only snorted and told her she didn’t need her twelve-year-old developing a pottymouth quite yet, thank you very much.

“Bend your knees a little more, it’ll help you brace for when she rushes you!” Sophie shouted from the sidelines. The human woman had been released from the holding cells the day after the attempted escape, after security footage had found that she hadn’t physically harmed anyone in the scuffle. She was former military, like Lucy, and the two women had bonded quickly once Lucy started talking to her. Lucy had recruited the human woman in helping her train Lena, which really just meant that Lucy had a backup while Lena had none.

Lucy charged Lena, taking the role of the attacker. Their movements were choreographed for now, all with the purpose of Lena’s defenses becoming muscle memory. Lena blocked Lucy’s strikes, but then the deceptively-strong woman pulled her into a choke hold. Lena dipped her chin and grappled for Lucy’s forearm.

“Don’t forget the foot!” Sophie shouted.

Lena maneuvered her foot around Lucy’s then twisted, maneuvering herself out of the chokehold and causing Lucy to lose her balance and trip over the placement of her foot. Lucy landed on the mat with a thud and Sophie cheered loudly from the side of the room.

“Yes!” Lena exclaimed excitedly.

“Okay, cheating, not fair,” Lucy huffed as she hopped up from the mat. She looked over at where Sophie was sitting. “For that, you get to be the one who gets knocked on her ass next time.”

Suddenly red lights began flashing and an automated voice sounded through the speakers. “Initiating lockdown procedures. All occupants please return to your quarters.”

“Dammit, not again,” Lucy groaned.

“Hey, I’m not part of this!” Sophie exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

“Don’t worry, you can stay in my quarters until it’s resolved,” Lucy told her as they exited the gym. “I hope James is finished in the Med Bay.”

“Med Bay?” Lena asked. “Is he alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just about some scar tissue from when we were on Earth, nothing new,” Lucy said, but her voice was tinged with worry.

Lena didn’t have much time to dwell on it, though. They hurried through the corridors, but their path brought them right by the Control Room. The doors were open as crewmembers rushed in and out, and a familiar acrid scent hit Lena’s nose. She stopped mid-stride, looking through the doors, to see Kara standing in the center of the room, face drawn with worry.

“Lena, come on!” Lucy coaxed, but Lena just shook her head.

“You guys go,” she told them. “I need to see Kara.”

“I think she’s a little busy right now,” Lucy said, but Lena ignored her and headed into the Control Room. She could hear Lucy’s exasperated sigh behind her.

Lena released calming pheromones as she approached her mate, and she could see Kara’s nostrils flare as she took in the scent. The Alpha turned quickly, surprise clear on her face.

“Lena, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I was on my way back to our quarters from the gym and I saw you,” Lena said. “You look like you could use some support.”

Kara choked out a humorless laugh. “You’re not wrong.”

“What’s happening?” Lena asked, and Kara sighed.

“We received a distress signal,” she told her. “A ship has been attacked and ransacked by space pirates— they’re horrible in this part of the cosmos. The ship is damaged and disabled, and many of the crew are injured, some fatally.”

“Can we help them?” Lena asked.

Kara tensed. “We _can_.”

Lena studied her mate, confused. Kara was normally very benevolent, so there had to be a reason she wasn’t jumping to offer help to this ship.

“The ship… It’s Daxamite.”

Lena’s eyes widened. The Daxamites were the ones who had infected Krypton with the virus that had killed the Kryptonian Omegas. They were the reason Krypton was a dying race, the reason Lena and the other women had to be Collected from Earth in the first place. Lena knew enough about Kryptonian history to know that after the war the two planets had come to an uneasy truce that mostly consisted of the two species avoiding each other at all costs. She also knew enough about Kryptonian pride to know that their hatred for Daxamites still ran deep.

“Are they… Do you think it’s a trap?” Lena asked.

Kara shook her head. “No, I don’t. I think they’re genuinely in trouble.”

“Does your peace treaty give any guidance for what to do in this kind of situation?” Lena asked. She knew enough about politics and diplomacy to know this.

“No, it just says we will not attack one another for a period of fifty years beginning at the date of the treaty,” Kara sighed. “It doesn’t say we are required to help one another.”

Well, that was entirely unhelpful. Lena wracked her mind, thinking as a businesswoman.

“Okay, what’s the worst that could happen if we help them?” she asked.

Kara’s brows furrowed. “They could attack us, which is unlikely because their ship is so damaged, and their crew is outnumbered even if they were uninjured. If that didn’t happen, then the worst that could happen is that we waste time and fuel and supplies in their aid and they act like ungrateful bastards and I get chewed out by my superiors as soon as return to Argo, on top of everything else I’m in trouble for once we return to Argo.”

Lena bit the inside of her jaw. “And what’s the best possible outcome if we help them?”

Kara looked up. “It could be the beginnings of actual peace between our two species.”

“I think you know what you need to do then,” Lena replied.

Kara sighed and pulled Lena to her side. “Thank you, _i zhao_ , for helping me make the right choice.”

Lena grinned up at her. “Anytime, Captain.”

An hour later Kara had gone from grateful to furious. After Kara had told the crew what was happening, a small group of Alphas, led by James, had approached her with what first appeared to be concern about helping the Daxamites. Lena couldn’t exactly blame them, not after what had happened in the war between their two planets, but Kara had done her best to calmly explain what safety precautions would be taken to protect the Omegas on board. When that hadn’t worked, however, anxiety had turned to anger, and Kara’s calm facade had transformed into sheer Alpha dominance.

“This is not up for debate,” Kara growled. “I’ve made my decision.”

“And it’s the wrong one!” James shouted. “You would risk our mates for what? For your own glory?”

“James, you know that has nothing to do with this,” Kara said. “You know me.”

“I thought I did,” the Alpha said, looking between Kara and Lena. “But then you took this one as your mate.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “What does Lena have to do with this?”

“You know the family that she comes from,” James growled. “You know what her brother did.”

“Lena is not her brother!” Kara argued.

“You weren’t there!” James exclaimed. “You weren’t there when he killed our people, Kara. But I was.”

“James, you know me,” Lena said, stepping closer to Kara, ignoring the way her mate stood protectively between her and James. “You know I would never…”

“I know now,” James said, his jaw tense. “But she didn’t know when she decided to take you as a mate. She put the entire ship in danger by bringing an enemy aboard, and now she’s doing it again. And for what?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do!” Kara told him. “James, this isn’t you. You have always been my friend. I know you and Lucy...”

“Captain,” a tech said, approaching nervously. “We’re approaching the Daxamite ship.”

James stiffened, watching Kara closely. She looked from him to the four other Alphas that stood behind him, and sighed.

“You are relieved of your duties while the Daxamites are on board,” she said. “Stay with your mates and guard them if that is your wish, if that will make you feel safer. But know that I intend to help any injured on board that ship, even if it means bringing them aboard. I’m not doing it for glory or any merit it might bring me, in fact I’m fairly certain that most on Argo would feel as you do. But I’m going to do it anyway because helping them is the right thing to do. Now go.”

Kara turned away as the Alphas left the Control Room. She stepped closer to Lena and they turned toward the front of the ship.

“I don’t know why James spoke of you like that,” she murmured where only Lena could hear. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

“People like James rarely ever say things they don’t mean, Kara,” Lena sighed. “I’m used to people only seeing my last name when they look at me. But we can’t dwell on that right now, we have other things to worry about.”

Just as she finished speaking, the hologram screens at the front of the room melted away to reveal what appeared to be a large window but Lena now knew to actually be a recorded image of what lay outside of the ship. The Daxamite vessel was only a quarter of the size of the Kryptonian ship they were on, and burned holes and broken parts were obvious even to Lena who knew nothing about alien spacecraft.

“Captain, we’re receiving a transmission directly from the Daxamites,” the tech said.

“Put it through,” Kara ordered.

A male voice filled the room then, speaking frantically in a language that Lena could tell was similar to Kryptonese— she could recognize most of the words, even at this speed— but not exact, with small nuances in pronunciation and conjugations.

“I am Captain Kara of House El,” Kara said in Kryptonese. “We offer you our assistance.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and then, “You are Kryptonian.”

It wasn’t a question but it was stated with such confusion that Lena thought it might as well have been.

“Yes. Is that a problem?” Kara asked.

“But… We are Daxamite,” the voice said.

“Yes,” Kara repeated. “Is that a problem?”

“Why would you offer us aid?”

Kara looked toward Lena and a soft smile overtook her tense features.

“Because it is the right thing to do,” she said with unwavering certainty.

There was a moment of silence on the communicator, and Lena could practically feel the tension in the room as everyone waited for a response.

Finally the speaker crackled to life again. “My name is Monel of Daxam. We have several wounded crew members, including my mate, and our attackers took all of our medical supplies before destroying the Med Bay. We have enough fuel to make it to Septara for more, but our engines were overloaded when we tried to flee, and holes in our hull make it impossible to travel at quantum speed.”

“I’ll send over our technicians to try to repair the damage to your ship,” Kara replied. “Your injured can come aboard and be treated in our Medical Bay.”

“Thank you,” Monel said, and Lena could hear the sincerity in the Daxamite’s voice in spite of the stilted accent.

As soon as the transmission ended, the ship erupted into organized chaos. As the crew went to work preparing for the incoming Daxamites, Kara turned to Lena.

“You need to go to our quarters and stay there until the Daxamites are gone,” she told her.

“What?” Lena exclaimed. “But Kara, I can help!”

“We’re under lockdown for a reason, Lena,” Kara told her. “You know what the Daxamites did to our Omegas before. Just because we’re helping this bunch doesn’t mean that I trust them completely. I need you to be somewhere safe so I can focus on helping them and keeping my crew and the Collected women on board safe.”

Lena sighed. “Yes, Captain.”

“Thank you,” Kara said, pulling her close and kissing her forehead.

And Lena had every intention of returning to their quarters— she really did— until she walked by the medical bay and saw Alex and the others who worked there scrambling to prepare for the incoming injured. She stepped through the doorway and looked around.

“Do you need any help?” she asked.

Alex looked up sharply. “Shouldn’t you be in lockdown?”

Lena shrugged. Alex considered her for a long moment, then looked around at her staff running around frantically.

“Yeah, we could use another set of hands,” she said. “Come here.”

So that was how Kara found her, a few minutes later, placing a packet of basic medical supplies beside every cot in the Med Bay. The Alpha looked at her with a frustrated but not entirely surprised expression before turning her attention back to the people following her.

“Alex,” Kara called. “We have twenty injured, twelve Alphas and eight Omegas. I’ve brought the most seriously injured first.”

“Tell them to start filling in the cots,” Alex instructed. “Most critical on that end.”

“This is Captain Monel, his mate Imra is the most severely injured,” Kara said, guiding the man who stood behind her to the final cot. He was a few inches taller than Kara, with dark hair and a full beard, and he was carrying a smaller woman in his arms. He put the woman down on the table and Lena could see that her entire midsection and one thigh were both wrapped in heavy bandages. The ones on her stomach, in particular, were already seeping through with blood.

Alex made her way over to that bed and Lena followed a few feet behind.

“My name is Alex of House Danvers,” Alex introduced herself. “I promise we are going to do everything in our power to treat your injured crew, and I will personally oversee Imra’s care.”

“This is the one you said is like a sister?” Monel asked Kara, and she nodded. “Then I trust you, Alex. Please, help my mate.”

Once the medical techs had begun their work on the injured Daxamites, Kara and Monel and the uninsured Daxamites stepped out into the hallway. Kara grabbed Lena by the hand and pulled her out along with them. Several of the Kryptonian crew members were lining the hall outside, watching the Daxamites’ every move. Lena spotted Russ El to one side, watching the Daxamites with clear mistrust.

“Thank you for offering to help us,” Monel said, his voice grim. “I was surprised when a Kryptonian offered assistance, especially considering the cargo you are carrying.”

Lena bristled a bit at being referred to as cargo, but Kara shot her a look before turning back to the Daxamite.

“It was the right thing to do,” Kara replied. “My mate here convinced me of that.”

Monel’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he looked back and forth between Kara and Lena. “Your mate? Ah,” he immediately straightened his posture and turned to Lena. He bowed slightly, crossing his arm across his chest. “I am Monel of Daxam. It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady, and I extend my sincerest gratitude for convincing your mate to help us.”

Lena tightened her grip on Kara’s hand and looked to her for guidance on what proper protocol was for such a greeting, but Kara just watched her with a raised brow. Lena racked her brain, thinking back to how Lillian had taught her to behave around important guests.

“Please, call me Lena,” she said, raising her chin. “I am glad we could be of assistance. Perhaps, once your mate is healed, the two of you might join my mate and I for dinner in our quarters?”

The hallway around them fell silent. The guards around them, both Kryptonian and Daxamite, looked at Lena in shocked amazement. Monel’s chin dropped in shock, and he looked back and forth between Kara and Lena. Lena looked to Kara, and her mate had a bemused but proud expression on her face.

Finally Monel seemed to collect himself. “Lena, do you know the history of our two peoples?”

“Of course,” Lena replied. “Daxam was originally a colony of Krypton that seceded centuries ago. The two planets had a strained peace for centuries until Krypton demanded ore from Daxam to fuel their space exploration. Both planets say the other one started the war between them, but most importantly it ended when Kara’s father tried to unleash a virus on Daxam, the Daxamites obtained the virus before it could be released and instead used it on Kryptonians and somehow all of this leads to me, a human standing on an alien spaceship heading toward an alien planet with alien DNA in my system so I can have a half-alien baby. Did I miss anything?”

Monel shot Kara a curious glance, but the corner of his lips quirked up in a slight grin. Kara just rubbed her temples and gave Lena a long-suffering look.

“That pretty much sums it up,” Kara told her.

Lena nodded and looked back at Monel. “The invitation to dinner still stands.”

Monel studied her for a moment before he spoke again. “Forgive me, Lena, but I must ask: How are you comfortable inviting me to dinner, knowing our peoples’ history? I must say, if I were in your position, I wouldn’t be nearly as hospitable.”

“You look to be the same age as Kara,” Lena said, looking him over, “which means that like her, you were a child when the war happened. None of us asked for any of this, but here we are, and we can either continue to make the same bad decisions of past generations, or we can start to build something better. I vote for the latter because if I’m expected to have children on this new planet, I want them to grow up in peace, not war.”

Kara pulled Lena closer to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I have found that Lena often sees things from a different perspective, and I welcome it. Her point is well made, don’t you think?”

“It is,” Monel agreed, smiling softly. “You are fortunate to have such a mate, Captain.” He looked between Kara and Lena. “It would be my honor to join you for dinner, when my mate is healed.”

Kara nodded in agreement. “Monel, I must return my mate to our quarters. Apparently she cannot find her way without my guidance. Russ El will show you to the Control Room where you may oversee the repairs of your ship.”

Monel nodded and Russ stepped forward to escort the Daxamite captain in the opposite direction.

Kara kept her arm around Lena as she led her away, holding her tightly to her side. Only once they were out of sight of the Daxamites and the crew did her face turn to a severe frown.

“You’re angry with me,” Lena said with a sigh.

“I asked you to go to our quarters and you agreed,” Kara growled, still walking them forward down the corridor.

“I saw Alex and the others struggling and I thought I could help,” Lena said, trying to keep her voice firm and not petulant.

“Yes, and I’m sure your desire to help had nothing to do with you being just a little bit curious to see the Daxamites, hmm?” Kara asked. “And don’t lie to me, _i zhao_ , I know how you are.”

Lena huffed. “Well it’s not as if it ended badly. Or are you also angry with me for inviting Monel to eat with us?”

“No,” Kara said with a slight grin. “That, actually, was brilliant, and I would expect no less from you.”

“So you’re not mad?” Lena tested.

“Not about that,” Kara told her. “I’m angry that you cannot seem to follow orders from your Captain and you clearly do not respect your mate enough to follow her wishes to keep you safe. Open.”

The door to their quarters opened to allow them in and Lena thought Kara would release her, but her mate kept her arm tight around her shoulders and continued leading her toward the bedroom.

“But it turned out fine,” Lena argued, and this time her voice was a bit petulant.

Kara released her and turned quickly, grabbing Lena by both shoulders and looking her dead in the eyes with a furious expression.

“And if it hadn’t?” she demanded. “If I had allowed the Daxamites on the ship and they had double crossed us? If we brought them to the MedBay and they attacked everyone around them?”

“You would’ve subdued them, there are far more Kryptonians than Daxamites,” Lena reasoned.

“Yes, but after what damage had been done?” Kara asked. “If you had been in the MedBay and they decided to harm us, you would’ve been a prime target.”

“But that didn’t happen,” Lena said, reaching up to stroke Kara’s face, trying to soothe her mate.

“But it very easily _could have_ ,” Kara said fiercely, then sighed. “Dammit, Lena, I know that you mean well, and you’re a smart woman, but I need you to respect my requests in matters like this. I did not ask you to go to our quarters to quell your curiosity or because I did not think you could be useful. I asked you to go because I wanted you safe, above all things. I need you safe so that I can focus on leading this ship. I need you safe because if anything happened to you, I do not know what I would become.”

Kara leaned into Lena’s hand and closed her eyes. Her grip on Lena’s shoulders loosened and Lena took the opportunity to get closer to her mate, wrapping her arms around her midriff and burying her face in the crook of Kara’s neck.

“I didn’t think of it like that,” she said softly.

“I know,” Kara said, kissing the top of her head. “You have a way of thinking about things that often benefits me, it is true. I just ask that you see things from my perspective as well, _i zhao_.”

“I will try to do better,” Lena promised.

“I know you will,” Kara said, moving them together. Lena felt the bed at the back of her knees and looked up at her mate just as Kara pushed her back.

The air left her lungs with a _whoosh_ as her back hit the mattress. Kara climbed over her prone form and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, tongue dipping between her lips, before moving down to bite hard on Lena’s mating mark. The move sent shocks of need straight from the mark to the apex of Lena’s thighs. Kara moved lower, cupping Lena’s breasts with her hands before shucking Lena’s shirt up to her chest and sucking at the tips through the lace of her bra.

“Kara!” Lena gasped in both surprise and arousal.

“This will have to be quick,” Kara said, still working her way lower. She pressed kisses to the soft skin of Lena’s tummy as her hands unfastened Lena’s belt and trousers. She pulled down Lena’s pants and underwear in one movement, taking a quick moment to yank off Lena’s shoes before ridding her of them completely. She trailed quick kisses back up Lena’s legs, taking a moment to suck at the back of Lena’s knee, a place Lena didn’t know could be arousing until that very moment. Then she turned her attention to Lena’s center.

In spite of their rapid pace, Lena could already feel how wet and aching she was. Kara peeled apart her soaked labia with her thumbs, opening her up for the Alpha’s perusal. Without any more preamble, Kara buried her face in Lena’s cunt. Lena cried out as Kara dipped her tongue inside of her, seeking more of the nectar that Lena’s body seemed to be readily producing. Her tongue stroked against the sensitive ridge at the top of Lena’s opening and it made Lena’s hips buck uncontrollably. Then, without warning, Kara moved higher, her tongue trailing up Lena’s slit until it flicked against Lena’s clit. Kara continued the flicking motion, teasing, driving Lena higher but not enough to push her over the edge.

“Kara,” Lena grunted, but her mate ignored her. Instead Kara lowered her trajectory again, driving her tongue deep into Lena yet again. Her nose rubbed against Lena’s clit and just as the Omega began to squirm, trying to find some way to grind against her mate’s face, Kara moved yet again to trace lazy circles around Lena’s clit. For someone who said they needed to be quick, Kara didn’t seem to be in any hurry.

“Kara!” Lena shouted as her mate pushed one finger into her cunt, just a single long finger. She bent the digit upward, stroking lightly against that sensitive point inside Lena that gave her so much pleasure, but not quite enough.

“Is it frustrating, _i zhao_?” Kara asked, leaning her cheek against Lena’s thigh.

“Please, Kara,” Lena groaned, hips bucking up for more pressure, but Kara just reached up and crossed her free arm over Lena’s pelvis, pinning her down. She turned her head and pressed a sucking, biting kiss to the inside of Lena’s thigh that would definitely leave a mark for later.

“I don’t think your begging is going to work on me today,” Kara said, digging her finger in deeper one time, just once, and pulling a moan from Lena’s throat, before returning to her light, teasing pressure. “Is it frustrating, Lena, when your mate will not do as you request?”

Her strokes slowed until she wasn’t moving at all. She bent to press a soft kiss to Lena’s clit and the Omega’s hips jumped at the contact. Lena sucked in desperate breaths, trying not to whine petulantly.

“Kara, what—?” Her voice trailed off into a moan as the Alpha withdrew her finger entirely and stood up at the foot of the bed.

“I’m going to leave you like this, _i zhao_ ,” Kara said softly. “I’m going to leave you with your frustration. And you’re going to live with it for the rest of the day until bed tonight. If you try to find release by yourself, Kelex will tell me, and I will find a different way to punish you. Do you understand?”

Lena’s eyes widened. “You’re punishing me?”

Kara nodded. “I told you once that I would never raise a hand to harm you, and I stand by that promise. But there are many… other ways I can find to punish an errant mate, if I need to. Do you understand?”

Lena nodded, though she was still staring up at Kara with wide eyes. The Alpha stepped into the bathroom and Lena could hear the water running. When Kara returned, her face and hands were clean of any evidence of what she had just done, but her hard cock was clearly outlined beneath her uniform. Kara followed Lena’s line of sight and sighed regretfully.

“Believe me, your punishment is also difficult for me to bear,” Kara told her. “Now, you will stay here until I send word for you to join me or until I return with dinner. Do you agree?”

“Yes,” Lena said, finally moving her body. As she closed her legs, it put pressure on her sensitive clit and she groaned in frustration.

Kara just grinned down at her. “I hope you can control yourself, Lena. But… part of me also hopes that you cannot. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

With that Kara left her, striding from the room with all the arrogance of a stereotypical Alpha. Lena turned onto her side and pulled her knees up to her chest. She focused on controlling her breathing as the echoes of arousal passed through her nerve endings. She knew that no matter what she did, even if she took matters into her own hands, she wouldn’t be completely satisfied until Kara fucked her, and the Alpha knew that too. Lena moaned in frustration.

“Fucking Kryptonians.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think? Did Kara make the right call? What do you think is happening with James? I love to read your speculation in the comments.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dirtiest smut I’ve ever written  
> Also  
> Dinner with the Daxamites  
> And  
> Alphas: can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... have nothing to say for myself. Honestly what am I if not writing meaningful conversations but also dirty dirty smut? That’s just my modus operandi at this point.

Two hours later, Lena was still reeling from Kara’s _punishment_. She had quickly researched and found that it was less Kara’s teasing and more the way she had bit into her mating mark. Apparently biting the mark would cause a hormone fluctuation that was similar to a minor heat or rut, depending on which mate was bitten. By the time Kara returned to their quarters, Lena was certain of two things: one, if Kara didn’t fuck her soon, she might actually die of spontaneous combustion, and two, she was definitely concocting some sort of revenge on her mate to be instigated _after_ Kara finally fucked her.

Which was why as soon as Kara was through the door into their quarters, Lena launched herself at the Alpha. Kara, for her part, didn’t seem particularly surprised or disappointed, in fact she easily reached around for Lena’s ass and picked her up from the floor, holding onto her tightly as Lena wrapped her legs around Kara’s waist.

“The Daxamites… will be here… soon,” Kara grunted between heated kisses. Lena just leaned forward and kissed her once again, pulling her lush bottom lip between her teeth and tugging gently.

“Then you’d better hurry and fuck me, darling, or they’re going to get dinner and a show,” Lena told her, even as she rocked her hips against Kara’s stomach desperate for friction. She was fairly certain, at this point, that if she could get even the tiniest bit of contact between Kara’s defined abs and her aching clit, she could find her release in seconds.

Kara growled at the thought of anyone else seeing Lena in such an intimate setting. She moved toward the bedroom, but it quickly became apparent that they weren’t going to make it that far. Instead Kara perched Lena on the nearest available surface, which just happened to be the dining table. As soon as her ass was securely on the surface, Lena pulled back and began unfastening the front of Kara’s uniform. Kara reached down and rucked up her skirt— she hadn’t been able to tolerate the pressure of pants since Kara had left— and found her soaked underwear below.

“Rao, Lena,” Kara groaned, pushing aside the ruined fabric and dragging her fingertips through Lena’s sodden center just as Lena released her cock from its confines.

“Inside me, Kara,” Lena ordered, spreading her legs wide. “Need you inside me _now_.”

The Alpha didn’t need to be told twice. In one quick movement she turned Lena around completely, bending her over the table and sweeping her skirt up over her back. She yanked Lena’s underwear down to her ankles and bent over, grabbing her hands and moving them so that Lena was reaching across the table to the other side.

“Hold on,” Kara murmured as she dropped a kiss to Lena’s cheek.

Lena had barely managed to get a white-knuckled grip on the opposite edge of the table when with one deep thrust her mate sunk half her length into her waiting pussy. Lena shouted into the table beneath her at the bliss and stretch of it. Kara didn’t wait for her to adjust, just began pumping her hips like a well-oiled machine.

“Fuck, Kara, God, it’s so deep, you’re so deep like this,” Lena gasped as Kara angled her hips. With every thrust the head of her cock stroked that one magic spot deep inside that pushed Lena closer and closer to the release she needed so desperately. Kara bent over her back and reached around to rub her clit, almost pushing her over but not quite.

“You look so beautiful, Lena,” she growled into her ear. “You look so fucking beautiful… All I’m going to be able to think about during dinner is your ass bent over this table, taking me so well.”

Kara stood up straight, and Lena could practically feel her eyes on her, looking down at where her cock was hammering into her stretched cunt. Kara pulled her hand away from Lena’s clit and she sobbed out at its retreat. She was close, _so close,_ she just needed something more.

Kara’s hand returned, but not to her clit. Instead her fingers traced wet circles over the skin of Lena’s upturned ass before moving between the cheeks. Lena squirmed as Kara trailed her fingers closer, closer, until they just barely ghosted over the pucker of her ass. Lena’s hips jerked in response and she cried out.

“Do you like this?” Kara asked, applying just a bit more pressure, but Lena was beyond words. All she could do was nod furiously as her hips jerked again. “Has anyone ever fucked you here, Lena?”

Lena shook her head, but Kara just pressed harder, enough pressure to tease but not enough to enter her. It wasn’t something Lena had done before, but damn if Kara hadn’t found another of her buttons to press.

“No,” Lena sobbed. “No, no one has ever… Fuck, Kara, I’m so close.”

For a moment Lena felt suspended on the precipice between _almost_ and _there_. But then Kara growled deep in her throat and pressed harder, until her slick finger slipped past the taut ring of muscle and into Lena’s ass, and just like that Lena fell, plummeting over the edge and into pure unadulterated bliss. Her fingers dug into the edge of the table as her body went taut, pleasure radiating from where her muscles clamped down on Kara’s cock and finger. And then the Alpha came with a roar and Lena could feel the deep, wet pulses within her, extending her pleasure until she wasn’t sure she could take anymore.

But God, she still wanted more.

Lena groaned as Kara gently eased her finger from her ass and her cock slipped free. One orgasm with Kara was rarely enough, and with the bite-induced hormones still singing through her nerve endings, it definitely was not. Kara sighed into the crook of her neck and pressed a soft kiss to the mating mark there.

“Nuh-uh,” Lena huffed. “No bites. That’s how this mess started.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara replied. “Honestly, I didn’t realize how bad it would be.”

Lena groaned as a robotic voice announced the arrival of their guests. Kara quickly pulled away and righted herself as Lena yanked up her ruined underwear and smoothed down her dress. Lena quickly wiped the lipstick smears from Kara’s face before retreating to the bathroom in an attempt to clean herself up a bit before Kara let their guests in.

There was nothing they could do about the scent of sex in the air but hope that the smell of food covered it up.

With the advanced medical technology on the Kryptonian ship, all of the injured Daxamites were already back on their feet, including the captain’s mate. Imra had lost a significant amount of blood from a nicked spleen and a deep wound to her thigh. Without treatment it would’ve proved fatal, but one short surgery and a blood transfusion later, and the Omega was able to attend dinner with them.

Lena schooled her features and tried not to squirm in her seat as she sat across from the Daxamite couple. Arousal still simmered just beneath her skin, and it wouldn’t be completely extinguished until Kara knotted her. She summoned every bit of etiquette Lillian Luthor had instilled in her throughout the years as introductions were made and conversation ensued, trying to ignore the fact that less than fifteen minutes before Kara had been fucking her on the very table they were eating on.

They kept conversation light for a while, discussing how long each pair had been mated, the difficulties of life on board a spaceship. Monel and Imra asked many questions about Kelex— apparently Daxam did not have service robots— and other Kryptonian tech they had seen on board.

“So Kara, you are part of the House of El?” Imra asked as they neared the end of their meal. “That would make you—“

“The king’s cousin,” Kara replied, and left it at that.

“But you were the heir to Krypton’s throne at one point, were you not?” Imra asked, but her voice was not judgmental, merely curious.

“I was,” Kara told her, her voice genial but tense. “But I am not any longer.”

“Ah, then you and Monel have a lot in common,” Imra said, taking the last bite of her food.

If the look Monel shot his mate was supposed to be subtle, then he failed miserably. Kara looked back and forth between the two Daxamites as Lena tried to focus on chewing her meal.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Kara told them, holding tightly to the knife in her hand.

“You didn’t tell her, did you?” Imra asked her mate.

“Didn’t tell me what?” Kara demanded as Monel sighed.

“I was afraid you might deny us aid if you knew,” he replied.

“If I knew what?” Kara asked.

“My full name,” he said. “It’s Monel Gand.”

That meant nothing to Lena, but it clearly meant something to Kara. She dropped her utensils and slammed her hands into the tabletop, rattling their plates.

“House Gand?” Kara repeated. “The royal house of Daxam?”

“My father was Lar Gand, King of Daxam, and my mother is Queen Rhea,” Monel replied.

That much, at least, Lena could make sense of. According to the historical readings Kara had given her, King Lar Gand had died in the war between Daxam and Krypton, though the details were sketchy at best. His mate Rhea had taken power then, because their young son was not yet old enough to lead.

Their young son who, apparently, was not so young anymore and was now sitting across the table from them.

Kara stood from her seat abruptly, a growl ripped from her throat.

“You are the Prince of Daxam?” Kara asked.

“I was,” Monel replied, looking at Imra sadly.

Kara’s ferocity drained slightly. “What do you mean?”

“It’s… It’s a long story,” Monel said, threading his fingers between his mate’s. “Before I tell it, please know that I mean you no harm. Everything I have said so far has been genuine, Kara. I still owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my crew and my mate, and I don’t intend to repay it by harming you. Whatever our parents did, I truly hope that the two of us might build a rapport of peace, just as your mate spoke of earlier today.”

Kara remained standing for a long moment, staring at the Daxamites and clearly debating her course of action. Lena reached up for her hand, though even the innocent contact sent sparks of arousal through her body.

“He doesn’t seem so different from you, darling,” she told her mate.

Kara sighed and sat. “Do not lie to me again, Daxamite.”

“You have my— Well, I’m not sure my word means much to you now, but you have it,” Monel assured her.

“I don’t care for his lying either,” Imra told them. “But I understand why he did it.”

“I must say that I do, too, or else I would not give you the opportunity to tell your story,” Kara said, leveling Monel with a curious but stoic expression.

“I’m sure you remember the reason Daxam seceded from Krypton?” Monel said.

“Of course, slavery,” Kara replied. She glanced at Lena. “Slavery had been common on Krypton and its colony planets for all of recorded history, and when the monarchy decided to abolish the practice some colonies refused. Daxam was the only one strong enough to completely secede and remain independent.”

Monel nodded. “Yes, well, unfortunately it’s still a common practice on Daxam. For my entire life I was raised to believe that it was just how things were done. There were small groups of abolitionists throughout the planet, but they held little swat. Small rebellions amongst slaves were common but quickly extinguished. I’m ashamed to say that I never really thought anything of it until I met Imra.”

“My mother was a pleasure slave,” Imra told them, squeezing Monel’s hand. “My father was a nobleman. When I reached maturity, my father sent me to work in the palace. He said it would be an honor to be a pleasure slave for the prince. I never imagined I would end up his mate instead.”

“I knew the moment I saw her that she was meant to be more to me,” Monel said, no longer looking at them but at his mate. Imra leaned toward him and he pressed a kiss to her temple. He turned back to them then, blinking as if he had just remembered that they were there. “My mother, of course, was furious. She forbade me from mating with Imra, which I ignored, obviously. Then she refused to acknowledge our mating, privately or publicly.”

“I can’t say that I’m surprised, based on what I’ve heard about Queen Rhea,” Kara commented, then seemed to remember herself. “I don’t mean any offense, I just…”

“No, it’s alright,” Monel told her, shaking his head. “You’re right, it’s not exactly surprising.

“After we were mated, Imra showed me the harsh realities of slavery,” Monel told them. “She also introduced me to several abolitionist groups. Mother was… well, let’s just say she was displeased. I only realized how angry she was when she sent an assassin to kill Imra.”

Lena gasped, but not entirely because of Monel’s words. She had shifted her weight forward to reach for the pitcher to refill her glass, and the slight movement put pressure on her throbbing clit. Kara looked at her with a knowing glint in her eyes, and Lena cleared her throat. “That’s terrible.”

“I knew we would never be safe on Daxam,” Monel said, shaking his head. “So I gathered as much money as I could, valuables that I knew I could trade, and put together a crew that was sympathetic to our cause, many of them slaves themselves. We left Daxam a year ago, and as soon as she realized what I had done my mother had me taken out of the line of succession.”

Kara nodded understandingly. Lena bit her lip and tried to sit back without gasping again. She caught the gaze of the Omega across the table and Imra gave her a knowing, sympathetic smile.

“What have you been doing since you left Daxam?” Kara asked, reaching under the table and placing her hand on Lena’s bare knee. Her long fingers dug into the soft flesh slightly, and Lena had to fight back a whimper.

“We’ve been intercepting slave ships,” Monel said. “Mainly Maldorian, but some others.”

“And were you planning to intercept us?” Kara asked.

Monel’s shoulders tensed. He looked down at his hands. “I admit that I considered it before we were attacked. But I decided not to. I don’t know enough about your Collection process to know if it is truly slavery or not. And in a way, Daxam is the reason you must resort to such things at all.”

Kara trailed her hand higher on Lena’s thigh, beneath her skirt, until she could feel the warmth from her fingers through the damp material of her underwear, just beside where she needed her touch the most— but not when they were sitting across the dining table from guests.

“Tomorrow, while the repairs on your ship are finished, I can tell you more about the Collection,” Kara volunteered. “It is not a process that I am particularly proud of, if I am being honest, but dealing with the human governments on Earth has not been the easiest thing.”

“Yes, I would be very interested to hear that, and to learn more about your planet, Lena,” Monel said, looking between the two of them.

“Perhaps over breakfast tomorrow?” Lena offered.

“That would be lovely,” Imra replied.

They bid their farewells and Kara left to escort them back to the MedBay where temporary cots had been set up for the Daxamites to sleep overnight. Kelex began clearing the table, and Lena quickly retreated to the bedroom.

By the time Kara returned, Lena had stripped off her dress and everything beneath it. Kara’s eyes widened as she took in the scene— Lena naked on the bed, legs spread wide, and three fingers thrusting knuckle-deep into her cunt— before she slowly began peeling off her own uniform.

“I thought I told you,” Kara said, her voice low and husky as she kicked away her pants and climbed onto the bed over Lena. “If you try to find release by yourself, I will find a way to punish you.”

“Then punish me,” Lena challenged, her own voice a low growl. It was a daring move, and Lena knew it, but as Kara captured her lips in a rough, urgent kiss, Lena knew it would definitely be worth it.

——

The following day, the Daxamites prepared to depart for their own newly-repaired ship. Lena stood beside Kara on the flight deck of emergency pods as they said their farewells. The tense aura that had lingered over the crew yesterday was gone, replaced by chatter and genial smiles between both species. It seemed that Kara had not been the only Kryptonian to find that their Daxamite counterparts were not so different from themselves, and Lena found herself hoping against hope that this was a positive sign of things to come between the two planets, even if this crew was made up of renegades.

Monel and Imra approached them, holding a small box in their hands. Imra offered it to Lena with a coy grin.

“This is an herb the pleasure slaves on Daxam use,” she said with a wink. “It has both calming and aphrodisiac properties when burned. We cannot use it on the ship, but once you reach Argo I think it might bring you and your mate much pleasure.”

Lena blushed slightly as she took the box. “Thank you.”

Imra just smiled and pulled her into a goodbye hug.

“When I return to Argo, I will speak to my cousin, and to the Council,” Kara told Monel. “Perhaps we can do more in the fight against the slave trade. At the very least, we can offer a safe haven for your crew to make landfall when necessary.”

Monel stared at her with unabashed awe for a moment before shaking his head. “You know, growing up I was taught that Kryptonians were arrogant elitists. You are nothing like I was told, Kara, and for that I am truly grateful. I am not sure if I have the strength to challenge my mother, but I hope that one day I can return to Daxam and lead them to a better future. And when that day comes I hope that there can be true peace between our peoples.”

Kara held out her hand and as Monel clasped it Lena could see the unspoken promise passing between their eyes. A shiver ran down her spine, and she thought all those around them must see it, too.

The Daxamites returned to their ship, and Lena leaned into Kara’s side affectionately.

“I think I just witnessed history in the making,” she said, looking up at her mate.

Kara grinned down at her. “None of it would’ve happened without you, Lena.”

“Hmm, I think you would’ve made the decision to help them in the end, even without me,” Lena speculated.

“Perhaps,” Kara replied. “But I never would’ve thought to invite them to dinner.”

Lena’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand. I was just trying to be polite.”

Kara chuckled. “Of course you were, and that’s the difference. I offered them the bare minimum to maintain peace and provide aid. I would’ve fed them as well, of course. But to share a meal with them, and more than that to invite them into our personal quarters… You opened the door to truly get to know them beyond everything we had been told, to foster possible friendship between two warring peoples. Lena what you did…”

A throat clearing interrupted Kara’s praise. James stood nearby, with Lucy beside him. The petite Omega’s expression was a mixture of frustration and shame, and James actually looked sheepish.

“Captain I… I owe you an apology,” he said.

“You did what you thought was best to protect your mate, James, you do not need to apologize for that,” Kara replied, though her voice was steely.

“No, Captain, I need to apologize for many things,” James replied. “Firstly, I apologize for not trusting you as my captain and, more importantly, as my friend. I should have known that you would never make any decision that could bring harm to our mates, I should have trusted that you would put their safety above all. For that I apologize.

“Second, I apologize for accusing you of aiding the Daxamites for your own glory,” James continued with a grimace. “I was a fool. I know you, Kara, better than many. You are not an Alpha that seeks her own glory, you are an Alpha who does the right thing no matter what it means for yourself, and this was certainly a case of that. I should never have questioned you, and I certainly shouldn’t have said such horrible things.

“And thirdly,” he said, and he turned to Lena, “thirdly I owe you an apology, Lena. What I said—“ his voice broke and Lucy stepped forward, rubbing his arm in support. He sighed and lowered his head. “May we speak somewhere more private?”

“Of course,” Kara replied. She led the way to the room where the spacesuits were kept and they all sat on the benches inside.

“Yesterday I went to see Alex,” James told them. “It’s almost time for our mating cycles, you see, and, well… We’ve had several without conceiving.” Lucy reached over and pulled James’s hand into hers, squeezing gently, as if she could pass strength on to the giant Alpha. “When I was injured on Earth, in the attack on the Collection Bureau, I was exposed to Kryptonite. Between the radiation and scar tissue I thought… I thought perhaps that might be the reason we haven’t conceived yet.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “And what did Alex say?”

James sighed and looked at Lucy. “She said we’re both perfectly healthy. The injuries and the radiation shouldn’t have any effect on my ability to have children, and she’s treated Lucy enough to know the same thing about her.”

“It just takes time for some couples,” Lucy said, though Lena wasn’t sure if she was talking to them or to her mate. “Just look at Kal and Lois, they’ve been mated for longer than we have and they don’t have a pup yet.”

James nodded. He looked at Kara and then at Lena. “I don’t say this to make an excuse, my words were still very much out of line. I just… I wanted to explain what was on my mind to lead me to say such things. I know you’re not anything like your brother, Lena. You are not our enemy, and I am sorry that I ever thought such a thing. I am sorry that my words caused you any pain.”

Lena stood and moved closer to the couple, resting a hand on James’s muscular shoulder.

“I forgive you,” she said softly. “We all say things we don’t mean when we’re under stress at some point in our lives. For you, yesterday was the day that it came to a boiling point. I can understand that, and I forgive you.”

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. He looked across to where Kara was still sitting. “Captain, I—“

“Of course I forgive you,” Kara said, shaking her head. “You’re one of my oldest friends, James. You believed in me when I barely believed in myself. I think that’s part of the reason it hurt so deeply when you questioned me yesterday.”

“It won’t happen again—“ he began.

“No, it should happen again,” Kara told him decisively. “I trust your opinion, James, I really do. If you feel that I’m not making a wise decision, I want you to challenge me on it. But in the future, do so respectfully, not in the middle of the Control Room in front of the entire crew. You know that.”

“I do,” James said, chagrined.

“Good,” Kara said, standing and patting James on the shoulder. “And in the future, friend or no, if you hurt my mate’s feelings ever again, I’ll punch you in the face.”

“Kara!” Lena exclaimed, but James just chuckled.

“And I’ll definitely deserve it,” he replied.

Lena shook her head and looked at Lucy. The petite woman just shrugged. “Alphas. What’re we gonna do?”

“Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em,” Lena said in agreement.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena gets her revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Katie McGrath with a sword. That is all.

“I still can’t believe she bit you.”

Lena shrugged her shoulders as she finished eating her dessert. “I don’t think she realized how bad it would be.”

“Well, she should have,” Andrea scoffed. “She’s the Alpha in the relationship. It’s her job to know these things and take care of you.”

“Well, she did take care of me,” Lena said with a smirk.

“Ugh… and on the kitchen table no less, you slut,” Andrea teased. “Meanwhile some of us can barely move enough to get any.”

“I do not want to talk about pregnant sex,” Lena grimaced.

“Hey, don’t judge, it’ll be you eventually,” Andrea told her. “And do you know what’s supposed to trigger labor to start? Orgasms.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “I… did not realize that.”

“Yeah, well, I’m willing to try just about anything to get this little monster to vacate the premises,” Andrea said, patting her stomach fondly. “Sam told me I should try pineapple juice, but we don’t have any of that on board.”

“Sadly,” Lena interjected, and Andrea nodded in agreement.

“But did you know that the same chemical in pineapple juice that’s supposed to kickstart labor is also found in an Alpha’s—“

“Please don’t finish that sentence,” Lena said, holding up her hand in protest. “I can guess.”

Andrea snorted with laughter. “Anyway… back to your problem. We need to figure out a way to get revenge on Kara. I personally think you should bite her back when she has to go attend to her duties as captain.”

“See I feel like that could be dangerous for, well, everyone,” Lena said, gesturing to the full dining room around them. “So we need to find something that won’t endanger the lives of innocent bystanders.”

“Hmm… Okay, well, I guess I’m back to the drawing board,” Andrea said. “I’ll keep thinking.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Lena grinned.

“You know it,” Andrea replied with a laugh. “Hey, isn’t it your time for fight club?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Lena groaned and buried her head in her arms.

“What, Lucy kicking your ass?” Andrea teased.

“Nope, Lucy’s in heat,” Lena told her. Just two days before Lucy had started her heat, going from perfectly fine to running a low grade fever and uncontrollably horny in less than six hours. James had begun his rut shortly after. The two were now sequestered in their quarters until their cycles ended.

“So who’s training you now? Sophie?” Andrea asked.

“Nope, Sophie’s working with Sam and Ruby,” she replied. “She suggested someone else. Sara Lance.”

For nearly a month after the failed escape attempt, Sara had been kept in the holding cells, isolated except for daily interactions with the Kryptonian guards— namely, Ava Sharpe. The other women had gradually been released, but Sara, who had led the rebellion, had been kept in the cells the longest. Even now she slept there, not permitted to sleep with the other Collected women and socialize in case she decided to try such a thing again. But during the day she was allowed to explore the ship, getting to know the Kryptonians and their mates, as long as she was monitored by Ava.

“Seriously?” Andrea asked. “Kara trusts her to train you?”

Lena shrugged. “She’s an experienced fighter. Honestly, she’s tougher than Lucy, but she’s a surprisingly good instructor. It’s kind of fun, actually. We’re starting on weapons training today.”

“Fun, sure,” Andrea said skeptically. “You keep your fun. I know how gleeful you get when you have a weapon in your hand. I’m going to go do what I do every day after lunch— take a nap so that all of my energy can go toward growing another person.”

Lena chuckled. “You do that. I’m gonna go get my ass kicked.”

——

“What the actual fuck, Luthor?”

Lena grinned wildly as she dropped the training sword to her side. Sara Lance stood across from her, hands raised defensively, her own sword flung several feet away.

“Did I mention that I almost made the Olympics for fencing?” Lena asked coyly, and Sara grinned.

“I think you might’ve left that little detail out,” she said. “Although, I’m pretty sure fencing is different from fighting with swords like this.”

Lena shrugged. “Did I also forget to mention that I’m a ridiculous nerd who was so obsessed with the sword fighting in Lord of the Rings that Lex bought me a functional replica of one of the swords and I took lessons to learn how to actually use the thing?”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Sara said with a barking laugh. “Hey, Sharpie, can you go get us some drinks?”

The Alpha guard stood in a stiff soldier’s stance beside the entrance to the gym, watching them with keen interest.

“I will ask a service robot to fetch them,” Ava replied.

“Dammit,” Sara muttered beneath her breath as she sat heavily on the mat.

“That didn’t work yesterday when you tried it,” Lena said. “What made you think it would work today?”

Sara shrugged. “Hasn’t worked the first few hundred times, doesn’t mean it won’t work next time.”

Lena just rolled her eyes. Sara pulled her knees up beneath her chin and watched her curiously.

“You know, from everything I’ve heard about you, I’m surprised you’re not still trying to get off this boat,” Sara told her.

“What, like you are?” Lena asked. “You know, Sara, I never thought I would be the one to say this, but if you’d just give this place a chance, you might actually like it. It’s a chance to start over, build a different life.”

Sara snorted. “It’s a nice cage, alright. It’s still a cage.”

Lena sighed. “And what would you do if you could get off? Go back to Earth? Wouldn’t they just put you back in prison?”

“Maybe,” Sara replied. “But at least I knew what I was up against there.”

Lena’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Sara pursed her lips for a long moment, thinking. “When I went to prison, I didn’t know what I was getting into. But I figured it out. I figured out how the system worked and how to work the system to keep myself and those around me safe. Here…” She sighed. “Here I’m not sure how to do that.”

Sara stabbed her training sword into the mat, uncaring that she damaged the material. “I’ve traded in one cage for another, but at least I knew how that cage worked, you know what I mean?”

Lena nodded. “I think so.”

Sara stood quickly, and Lena looked up to see Ava approaching with two bottles of water in her hands. She held them out and Sara took hers quickly, gulping down the water like she thought it might get taken away.

“Like what you see out there, Sharpie?” Sara asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

The Alpha didn’t take the bait, instead turning to look at Lena. “You’re good with the sword. You might be as good or even better than the Captain.”

Lena’s eyes widened at that. “Kara fights with a sword?”

“Swordplay is a tradition amongst the royals of Krypton,” Ava replied. “Challenges of skill are often used to settle disagreements. Some of the crew members challenge each other to settle bets.”

“Interesting,” Lena said, looking down at the sword laying beside her.

“Ooo, I know that look,” Sara said with a grin. “You’re scheming.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “You’ve only known me for two days.”

“Yeah, but I know the look of a woman scheming,” Sara replied. “Trust me, I’ve seen it enough times, worn it myself enough times. So… What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that I know a certain Alpha who needs a taste of her own medicine,” Lena replied, picking her sword up and twirling it around her wrist.

——

It took a bit more scheming to arrange everything, but three days later Lena had it set up. She was waiting in the gym alone when Kara entered, a confused expression on her face.

“I thought I was coming to watch you train with Sara?” the Alpha said, looking around the empty room.

“No, I’m not training with Sara today,” Lena said, standing and holding two swords. “I want to train with you.”

Kara’s eyes widened as Lena tossed her one of the training swords. She caught it and adjusted her grip, swinging it slightly to adjust to its heft.

“You know how to use a sword, _i zhao_?” she asked, her tone still thick with confusion but also tinged with a hint of excitement.

Lena shrugged. “All the research you did on me and you missed that little detail? Yes, Kara, I know how to fight with a sword, at least a bit.”

Kara grinned and took her place on the mat. Lena moved to stand opposite her.

“Let’s see how much you know,” Kara said before charging Lena full speed.

They sparred for nearly twenty minutes, and Lena could see the surprised delight in her mate’s eyes as she met her step for step. Kara had an advantage in strength, but Lena knew how to move to neutralize that advantage. Lena’s footwork was more precise, and her strikes sneakier, keeping her mate on her toes. When they stopped for a water break, Lena decided to up the ante.

“Let’s make this interesting,” she said, peering at Kara over her bottle of water. “Let’s have a match. Whoever can pin or disarm the other first wins.”

The Alpha’s competitive nature was clearly piqued. Her blue eyes glimmered dangerously as she peered at Lena.

“Alright,” Kara replied. “And what do I get if I win?”

“Hmm… What do you want?” Lena asked, stepping toward her mate with an extra sway in her hips.

“If I win, I get to fuck you in the ass,” Kara said, her voice low.

Lena’s breath caught in her throat in spite of herself, and she could feel the muscles between her legs clench on nothing at the thought. She’d had a feeling that Kara was interested in her ass ever since they had fucked on the dining room table, and this definitely confirmed it.

“I really need to investigate your reading material,” she said with a throaty chuckle. “But alright, I agree. And if I win, I get to fuck you, right here, right now, however I want, no questions asked.”

Kara’s eyes widened and she looked around the empty gym. “Here?”

“You’re the captain, you can lock the doors,” Lena reminded her as she drew even closer. “What’s wrong, darling, afraid you’ll lose to your helpless little Omega?”

Kara’s expression morphed into a grin. “I know you, Lena. You are hardly helpless. In fact…” She looked Lena up and down and swallowed hard. “Fine. I accept your terms.”

“Good,” Lena said, bending to put down her bottle of water. She could practically feel the heat of Kara’s gaze on her ass, fully displayed in the leggings she wore to train. She stood and turned back toward Kara, waiting a moment as the Alpha put down her own water. “Oh, and Kara? One more thing?”

“What?” Kara asked breathlessly as Lena stepped even closer, pressing their bodies flush against one another. She placed her hands on Kara’s shoulders and stood on tiptoe, as if she were going to whisper in her ear. She skimmed her fingers over the neckline of the Alpha’s uniform, exposing the scarred bite mark below.

And then she bit down. _Hard._

The change in Kara’s body was instantaneous. Every muscle from head to toe tensed, and as Lena stood back with a satisfied smirk, the blue of the Alpha’s eyes was overtaken with black. Kara took a deep breath through her nose and shook her head.

“You little…”

“Tit for tat, darling,” Lena said, standing back and picking up her sword. “Do you still think you can beat me?”

Kara stared at her wide-eyed for another moment, her breathing labored, before she picked up her sword. They both took their places on the mat, and Lena could see the outline of Kara’s arousal beneath her uniform.

Their dance began, and Lena immediately knew two things: one, that Kara had been holding back before, not that she was surprised, and two, that she had succeeded in distracting her mate. The Alpha’s blows were stronger, but wilder. When Lena moved to block the reverberations through her own sword made her forearms tremble and it took all of her strength to push Kara back in defense. But the distraction caused by Kara’s arousal made her blows wilder, swinging out broadly and making it more difficult for her to move her sword back to defend herself when Lena outmaneuvered her.

The arousal wasn’t one-sided, however. Lena could feel her own pulse throbbing between her legs in time with the Alpha’s movements, but unlike when Kara had bitten her mark the week before, she could push the arousal down and control it. It worked to her advantage, really. She unleashed an overwhelming scent of needy Omega into the air and Kara’s nostrils flared just as her steps faltered, giving Lena an advantage.

And Kara wasn’t the only one who had been holding back.

Lena moved quickly, looking for an opening, and finally she found it. With a quick spin she grabbed Kara’s sword hand and brought her sword down in a blow that, with a real sword and a human opponent, would’ve permanently maimed. With a training sword, however, and a Kryptonian opponent, only caused Kara to cry out and release her sword. The dull metal fell to the ground beside them and Lena made one more move, raising her sword and holding it to Kara’s throat.

“Yield?” she asked, looking into the Alpha’s wide eyes. Kara’s pupils were blown, her nostrils flared, and her skin was damp with sweat and red from exertion.

“How did you—?“ Lena pressed the sword to the skin of Kara’s throat, cutting off her words. “Yield.”

Lena grinned victoriously and stepped back, dropping her sword. She reached for the hem of her shirt.

“Lock the doors, darling.”

Kara complied quickly, hurrying to the door to enter her code to lock the room. Lena stripped from her uniform until, by the time Kara was finished, she was standing naked in the center of the room. The Alpha turned, eyes dilated, cock straining against the front of her uniform, and charged toward Lena.

The Omega lifted her sword and pointed it toward her mate, stopping her advance. The practice sword was dull, but it served its purpose. Kara looked from the gleaming metal to Lena’s nude form and finally to her face.

“Strip,” Lena ordered, and she could see Kara bristle at the command. “Huh-uh, Alpha, you agreed to my bet. We fuck how I want, no questions asked.”

Kara growled, but she did as she was told. Lena could barely do more than blink before Kara was naked in front of her. She drank in the sight of her, lean muscles ripping beneath golden skin, golden curls tumbling loose from her ponytail, thick cock straining and leaking precum. Lena had to fight the urge to bend to her knees and lick it away, but that would be too easy.

This was revenge, after all.

“Lie down on your back and put your hands over your head,” Lena instructed, and Kara did just that, shivering slightly as her skin hit the mat beneath her. Lena peered down at the lithe body at her feet. She placed the point of the dull blade against Kara’s throat and glided it down, over the straining sinews, out over her heaving clavicles and back, then down her sternum. She moved the blade so that the dull edge stroked over Kara’s breasts, circling until she came to her erect pink nipples.

“L— Lena,” Kara husked, her hips arching up from the mat. Lena grinned and ran the blade down further, over the peaks and valleys of the Alpha’s abs.

“My strong Alpha,” she murmured. “But strength isn’t everything, is it?”

Kara opened her mouth to speak but before she could Lena tossed the sword aside and moved to straddle the prone form beneath her. She captured Kara’s lips in a kiss, tongue dipping and claiming as teeth clashed and lips staked ownership. Kara’s hips lurched upward again, just as her hands moved to bury themselves in Lena’s hair.

Lena pulled away, grabbing the Alpha’s arms and moving them back over her head.

“Keep them here,” she said, dipping down for another kiss. “Keep them here or I stop touching. Can you do that for me, darling?”

Kara purred deep in her throat. “Yes.”

“Good Alpha,” Lena said, pressing another quick kiss to her lips before moving lower. She trailed kisses down Kara’s neck, laving her tongue over her mating bite, and then down, over her clavicles and down her sternum. She palmed the Alpha’s breasts, running her fingers over pretty pink nipples before lowering her head and sucking first one and then the other between her lips. Kara cried out and her hips shifted, but she kept her arms above her head. Lena moved down even further, pressing kisses across Kara’s abs. The muscles flexed beneath her as Kara squirmed and Lena couldn’t help but run her tongue over the rise and fall of the muscles, tasting the salty tang of sweat and Kara’s natural musk. Just inches away the Alpha’s cock bobbed and leaked precum onto the lower part of her stomach. Lena dipped her head and lapped it up, swallowing the Alpha’s essence with a dramatic flourish.

“Lena, please,” Kara hissed, wiggling her hips.

“How I want, remember?” Lena asked. “And I want your abs.”

The referenced muscles flexed in response and Lena swallowed hard. Kara’s skin still glistened with saliva, but it was unnecessary, as between her legs was a virtual flood of arousal. Lena moved to straddle the blonde Alpha, her slick heat smearing across Kara’s midriff. Kara clenched at the contact, and Lena began to move, slowly at first until she found the perfect angle. A guttural moan spilled from her throat as she began to rock in earnest, furiously chasing her release against the straining muscles.

“Rao, Lena, you’re so beautiful,” Kara breathed, each word punctuated by ragged purrs. Lena could feel the Alpha’s bobbing cock against her ass with each movement, but she ignored it to chase her own release. With every thrust of her hips her clit dragged over the ridges of Kara’s abdominal muscles, sending shocks of sensation through her entire body. Her thighs burned and her breath came shallower and shallower with every stroke as the rubber band in her lower stomach stretched tighter and tighter until finally, _finally_ —

Lena came with a piercing scream, thighs clamping down on Kara’s sides beneath her. She dug her hands into the Alpha’s shoulders so hard that she might actually leave bruises, even on a Kryptonian. It felt like her body burst into a million pieces, only to rush back together again. When it finally ended she opened her eyes and looked down at her mate. Kara stared up at her with wide eyes, completely black with arousal, but she kept her arms above her head.

In one panting breath Lena flipped herself around, bending until she was a hair's breadth away from the Alpha’s throbbing cock. The head was an angry purple, and precum streamed from the slit at the top in a never ending flood. Lena could see the loose skin flexing at the base, throbbing with Kara’s desire to knot inside her mate.

“Le— Oh!” Kara exclaimed as Lena licked the shaft from root to tip. She lapped at the precum trailing down before sealing her lips over the tip and sucking hard. Kara’s hips bucked, and Lena quickly moved her hands to her hip bones, holding her down just so she wouldn’t thrust so hard that it hurt her. Then she paused, letting saliva pool in her mouth before relaxing and slipping her mouth further and further down the shaft.

Lena bobbed her head up and down, relaxing her throat on each descent to take as much of Kara’s thick cock into her mouth as she could. The air was thick around them with the spicy scent of their mating pheromones, and with every breath Kara let out a mixture of ragged purrs and moans. Lena felt her own arousal skyrocketing again and she squeezed her thighs together to try to alleviate the sudden ache in her clit.

“C’mere, _i zhao_ ,” Kara mumbled, moving her hands to pull at Lena’s hips. Lena was tempted to chastise her, to tell her to put her hands back where she had instructed, to remind her that Lena was the one in charge this time. But then Kara lifted one of Lena’s legs and positioned her so that her cunt was over the Alpha’s face, and then she _licked_ her and _oh_ , maybe it was alright after all.

Lena groaned as Kara began lapping at her center, sucking the copious fluids from her folds before nosing at her clit. The vibrations on her cock made Kara shudder and she began eating Lena out in earnest, driving her tongue up into the Omega. It was a frenzied cycle as each strove to drive the other one further toward climax and each guttural moan just pushed the other one further and urged them to double their own efforts.

Suddenly Kara pulled back with a gasp. “Lena, I’m close. Want to… want to come with you, _i zhao_ , take what you need.”

She moved her head back and Lena did just that. Kara flattened her tongue and Lena ground down with her hips, chasing the perfect pressure against her clit. Her hips locked around Kara’s head as her orgasm hit and she would’ve screamed again if Kara’s cock wasn’t buried in her throat. As the waves finally subsided she took one deep breath through her nose and dipped down low, relaxing her throat until her nose was nestled in the golden curls at the base of Kara’s cock and her lips were stretched around the throbbing skin that would become the Alpha’s knot. Kara came with a roar, biting down on the inside of Lena’s thigh as she spilled in the Omega’s waiting throat.

When it was done Lena rolled off to the side. Goosebumps prickled over her skin as it hit the mat beneath her and the cool air of the room began drying her sweat. She breathed hard and reached out until she found Kara’s hand.

The Alpha was breathing just as hard beside her when she asked, “Can I touch you now?”

“Yes,” Lena replied. The word was barely past her lips and Kara was on top of her, pressing heated kisses to her lips. She could taste herself on the Alpha’s mouth and it thrilled her. Kara reached down for her legs, moving them until her ankles were resting on golden shoulders.

“Need to knot you,” Kara growled, reaching down to line up.

“Please,” Lena murmured just as the broad head found its mark.

With one brutal thrust Kara filled her to the hilt, and Lena shouted at the abrupt stretch and the relief of it. Kara hammered into her with a single-minded ferocity, a need to claim etched in the sharp lines of her face. Lena reached up and cupped her jaw tenderly, and Kara turned her head to press a kiss to the Omega’s wrist.

“Mine,” Kara growled, moving one of Lena’s legs so that both ankles were draped over one shoulder. Lena groaned at the sensation as it tightened her channel, making Kara feel even larger and deeper with every ragged thrust. Kara continued growling praise even as she fucked her harder. “My mate, my strong mate. You’re so strong and beautiful and ferocious, and you’re _mine_.”

Lena could feel Kara’s knot beginning to swell at her entrance, and she whimpered in both pain and pleasure. “Fuck, Kara, I can’t like this…”

“You can,” Kara growled, giving one more hard push to prove her point.

Lena screamed until her throat was raw with it as pain blended into bliss and her orgasm rushed over her like a tidal wave. Kara’s knot swelled further inside her as the Alpha came, spilling her seed deep inside. The stretch and pulse pushed Lena from one peak to another, until she wasn’t sure if she was having multiple orgasms back to back or just one continuous orgasm that went on for long minutes.

When she finally returned to conscious thought, Kara had rolled them until they were resting on their sides, legs entwined and still locked together in the most intimate of ways. Kara’s body arched around hers, and her arms held her close, fighting off the chill from the large room.

“Somehow I don’t feel like I really lost that wager,” Kara murmured into Lena’s dark hair as she pressed a kiss to her temple.

“Hmm… I think, with those bets, we would’ve both won either way,” Lena admitted, her voice hoarse.

“You didn’t exactly play fair,” Kara said, looking down at her. “You bit me.”

“Revenge, darling,” Lena replied, reaching up and tapping the fearsome Alpha on the nose. “Don’t mess with a Luthor.”

“Sneaky,” Kara muttered. “Point well made, though. No biting to tease or punish.”

“Good,” Lena agreed with a nod. She tugged at Kara’s chin until she could kiss her softly, then pulled away with a smile.

Kara looked at her curiously. “How did you learn to fight with a sword like that?”

Lena barked out a laugh and ran her hands up the Alpha’s arms. “Well… It all starts with the fact that I am a huge nerd…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... eventually there will be more angst. But I’m really enjoying all the smut I can imagine while these two are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New arrivals and hope for the future

“Lena, wake up.”

Lena groaned and buried her face into the pillow. The dimly-lit room told her that it wasn’t even morning yet, and her body still ached with exhaustion. Their romp in the gym hadn’t been enough to quell the mini-rut Lena had triggered with her bite. She and Kara had barely made it to their quarters before the Alpha was hard again. They had fucked on the sofa, until one uncoordinated roll had sent them tumbling into the floor and then they fucked there as well. After that they thought a shower was in order, which only led to slow, deep love making against the shower wall until the water ran cold. Finally they had fallen into bed in an exhausted heap, cuddled together beneath the covers.

“Lena,” Kara murmured, shaking her shoulder.

“Mmm, not again,” she mumbled into the pillow. “I’m sorry I bit you, okay? Just… go jack off in the bathroom.”

Kara snorted. “That’s not why I’m waking you up, silly.”

Lena turned over with a dramatic flop. “Then what do you want?”

“Andrea’s in labor.”

Lena had never moved so fast. She was out of bed and digging through the closet for clothes before the sheets had even settled back into place.

“Why didn’t you just say so?” she demanded as she yanked on a pair of underwear.

“I was getting there,” Kara said with a chuckle.

Lena glared at her as she fastened her bra. “Why are you already dressed?”

“I thought I would let you sleep just a few more minutes while I got ready,” Kara replied evenly.

Lena pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt before rushing to the bathroom to brush her teeth. In moments she returned to the closet. “Fuck.”

“You might want a turtleneck,” Kara said sheepishly.

“You think?” Lena asked, switching shirts. “Do you have anything like ibuprofen on this ship?”

“I’ll get you some as soon as we get to the MedBay,” Kara assured her. “I’m sorry you’re sore.”

Lena just grinned as she made her way back to the bathroom. “I’m not sorry. It was a very enjoyable workout. Much better than training with Lucy or Sara.”

Once Lena had brushed her teeth, she hurried out of their quarters and toward the MedBay, with Kara hot on her heels. They were almost to the doors when a scream followed by a stream of curses in three different languages echoed through the halls. Kara froze in place and Lena stopped.

“What?” she asked, looking between her mate and the MedBay doors.

“That does not sound good,” Kara replied, her voice shaky.

“What do you mean?” Lena asked. “Does it sound worse than a normal Kryptonian birth?”

Kara’s face blanched. “I’ve never witnessed a birth.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “You are aware of exactly how babies come into this world, right? It’s not exactly pleasant for the one giving birth.”

“I mean… I know the basic idea…” Kara muttered, eyes wide as another stream of curses echoed through the halls. “You know, Andrea is really more your friend than mine…”

“Nope,” Lena said, grabbing her mate’s hand and yanking her forward. “Huh-uh, you’re coming with me. It’s about time you learned first hand what you could be dealing with in the future, Alpha. Now hurry up, I’d like to get in there before this baby sees his first birthday.”

Kara looked from Lena’s face to the door and back again before stiffening her spine and nodding resolutely. She looked like she was about to march into battle and Lena would’ve burst into giggles if it weren’t for another string of curses echoing down the hallway. They walked in to see Andrea lying on a table, gripping Russ El’s hand with a crushing grip and cursing in Spanish.

Kara leaned in to whisper in Lena’s ear. “What did she just call him?”

“My Spanish is rusty, but I believe she just made a very colorful and painful threat toward his manhood,” Lena replied. “Don’t they have pain meds for this?”

Andrea gave one final hiss of pain before relaxing back against the table. Her eyes glanced around the room and landed on them.

“Lena! It’s about time!” she exclaimed as they approached. “Were you still knotted when I sent for you?”

Kara’s eyes widened and her cheeks reddened as she tried to look at anything except Andrea and Russ. Lena just rolled her eyes.

“I was asleep, you bitch,” Lena replied fondly.

“Recovering,” Andrea teased. “Can you sit down if I get you a chair, or will you need a pillow?”

The denial was on the tip of Lena’s tongue, but she was fairly certain she couldn’t follow through with it. Even standing she could feel the soreness radiating from between her legs— not that she regretted it.

Her silence was enough of an answer and Andrea snorted in laugher, only to grimace and rub the top of her swollen stomach.

“Fuck, here comes another one,” she groaned, squeezing Russ’s hand. Lena quickly circled the bed and took her other hand, only to regret it a moment later as Andrea squeezed with a crushing grip. She muttered under her breath, but quickly her muttering crescendoed into full-fledged shouting yet again. After what felt like forever but was only a little over a minute, Andrea relaxed back into the bed.

“Holy shit, can’t they give you pain meds?” Lena asked, eyes wide.

“The meds they give you slows down the labor process,” Andrea explained with a grimace. “So I’m trying to wait as long as I can stand it. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible.”

Lena wasn’t sure that the trade off of speed over pain was really worth it, but she wasn’t the one giving birth. All she could do was sit and try to talk to the waiting couple between contractions and hold her friend’s hand through the pain when it came.

“Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” Andrea shouted as one contraction ended. “Okay, somebody call Alex. I think I’m ready for the meds.”

The auburn-haired Alpha came over and checked Andrea’s cervix— much to Russ’s discomfort, if the expression on his face was anything to go by. When Alex looked up from her vantage point between Andrea’s legs, she was frowning.

“How long did you say you’d been having contractions before you came to the MedBay?” she asked.

“They started after lunch, so about nine hours,” Andrea replied. “And my back had been aching a lot all day before that.”

“And you’ve been here for six and a half hours,” Alex muttered. “You’re still only about six centimeters dialated.”

Andrea let out a frustrated groan. “That’s only two more than when we got here.”

Alex nodded. “That’s what I’m saying. The baby doesn’t seem to be in distress, but I’m afraid if you continue to labor with such little progress it could stress the baby.”

Andrea’s eyes widened and looked between Russ and Alex. The Alpha kissed his mate’s forehead before turning to Alex. “What do we need to do?”

“I could give you a medication that would possibly make the contractions more productive, but if I give it to you along with the pain medication, they are likely to just cancel each other out,” Alex told them. “Or I can give you the medication to speed things along with no pain relief, but your contractions will be much stronger and closer together. And either way, there is a chance that speeding things along will stress the baby.”

Another contraction hit, and they rode it out as Andrea cursed in pain. When it was finally over, Andrea rubbed the top of her stomach anxiously. “Are there any other options?”

Alex sighed. “I could go ahead and remove the baby surgically. I think humans call it the Caesarean method.”

“A C-section,” Andrea said, nodding.

“The risks are the same as any surgery, but less than what they would be on Earth, obviously,” Alex replied. “I think it’s the best option for you at this point.”

“And why didn’t you mention that option first?” Russ growled, clearly on-edge.

“Because many couples balk at the idea of a surgery,” Alex replied. “But if that’s what you want to do, then I’ll prepare everyone.”

Andrea shared a heavy look with her mate, unspoken communication clearly passing between them. She set her jaw stubbornly and turned back to Alex. “Let’s do the C-section.”

“I’ll get your pain medication started, and everyone prepared,” Alex told her. She moved to step away, but Russ grabbed her arm, his eyes wide and pleading. She rubbed the top of his knuckles reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Russ. I’ve done this procedure many times before. It’s safe for mother and child. I’ll take care of your mate and your pup.”

Russ nodded and released her to go make preparations. Lena looked back at Andrea.

“If they’re going to be doing surgery, maybe I should wait outside,” she said, but Andrea just squeezed her hand.

“No, I want you here, please,” she told her. “Besides, you need to be here to hold your godchild as soon as he’s born.”

Lena’s eyes widened and filled with tears. “Godchild? Are you sure?”

“Of course,” Andrea replied. “Who else would I choose? It’s a tradition on Krypton as well, and Russ was in total agreement.”

Lena looked up at the Alpha and nodded. He looked between her and Kara, who also had a shocked but joyous expression on her face.

“Would you be our pup’s _sheshur-throniv_ , Cousin?” Russ asked.

“ _Soul shield_?” Lena asked, brow furrowing as she tried to translate.

“More like _soul guardian_ ,” Kara told her. “It is an added layer of protection for a pup, that their _sheshur-throniv_ will protect them physically and nurture them spiritually throughout their lives. And I would be honored, Cousin.”

Alex returned and began setting up for the operation. An IV line was inserted in the hand Lena was holding for fluids and medication, and Alex gave Andrea one strong shot straight into the spinal cord to block the pain, similar to an epidural on Earth. Then a curtain was draped over Andrea’s chest.

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” Lena murmured and Andrea snorted.

“Leave it to you to quote _The Wizard of Oz_ while I’m about to be cut open,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Nerd.”

Several medical techs stood around in their black uniforms as Alex turned on a bright overhead light and focused it on the other side of the curtain.

“Alright,” Alex said, looking up at them. “Ready to meet your pup?”

“So ready,” Andrea replied, but her grip on Lena’s hand turned crushing again and it had nothing to do with pain. Opposite her, Russ nodded, his face etched with anxiety.

“Okay, here we go,” Alex said, looking down and getting to work. Lena tried to ignore the wet sounds as Alex did the surgery, and tried even harder to hide the grimace that wanted to overtake her face. Suddenly Alex’s head popped up over the drape. “How are we doing? Any pain?”

“No, just some pressure,” Andrea replied. “And I’m a little dizzy.”

“That’s normal, it’ll subside when we’re finished,” Alex assured her. “I’m gonna make one more incision and then we’ll get the baby out. You might feel a little bit more pressure, but nothing else. Tell me if you feel any pain, okay?”

“Okay,” Andrea replied, and Alex disappeared back over the drape.

Kara moved to look over at whatever the doctors were doing and her face immediately went white and a little green.

“That bad, huh?” Lena asked.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine once Alex closes things up,” Kara assured them. “But I did not need to see that.”

“Why do you think I’m staying over here?” Russ asked.

Lena snickered and looked back at Andrea. “Big strong Alphas. It’s a good thing they’re not the ones delivering the babies.”

Andrea nodded, then gasped. A loud squelching sound that made Lena’s stomach turn sounded from the other side of the drape, and then silence as everyone seemed to hold their breath.

A loud piercing cry echoed through the MedBay and Lena sighed with relief. Tears welled up and spilled from Andrea’s eyes as Russ bent forward to press kisses to her cheek, his own eyes wet with happy tears.

“It’s a boy,” Alex announced, holding the newborn up over the drape. He was covered in waxy vernix and blood, and big— very big. Alex handed him off to one of the other techs to be checked and cleaned up while she returned to finishing the surgery.

Russ was clearly torn, looking from Andrea to where their son was being cleaned. Andrea squeezed his hand.

“Go see our son,” she told him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His excited eyes glanced up at Lena and she nodded. “I’ll watch out for her. Go see your pup.”

“I love you,” Russ murmured as he pressed one more kiss to Andrea’s cheek and before stepping away to check on the baby.

“You did so good,” Lena said, running her fingers through Andrea’s sweat-dampened hair.

“I didn’t actually do anything,” Andrea replied with a huff.

“You grew a baby for nine, almost ten months,” Lena told her. “That’s pretty damn impressive. And good Lord, he looks huge. You did good, _mamacita_.”

Alex finished the surgery and closed the incision. Andrea was shivering with the aftereffects of the numbing agent, so she was tucked beneath several layers of the thick, rough hospital blankets. Finally Russ returned to her side, a bundle of blankets in his arms.

“I think someone would very much like to meet you,” he said, lowering the bundle into his mate’s waiting arms. The baby cooed softly, squirming a bit until he was resting comfortably against Andrea’s chest. Andrea ran her fingers over the small patch of dark hair on his head in wonder.

“He’s perfect,” she murmured.

“Absolutely perfect,” Russ agreed.

Lena stood back and felt strong arms wrap around her waist. Kara had been mostly silent through everything, realizing that she wasn’t quite as close to Russ and Andrea as Lena was, even though they had made her their pup’s _sheshur-throniv_. Now she rested her head on Lena’s shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

“Don’t start getting any ideas back there, darling,” Lena warned, though she leaned back into Kara’s warm embrace happily.

“Oh, I already have ideas,” Kara told her, voice soft. “Sometimes I just can’t help but imagine what our own pups might look like, you know?”

“Mmhmm,” Lena hummed in agreement. “Someday.”

“Someday,” Kara agreed.

“Hey,” Andrea said, interrupting them. “Come meet your godson.”

Lena carefully took the baby from Andrea, careful to support his head. He opened his eyes and looked up at her, and she was surprised to see bright blue eyes like Andrea’s instead of dark eyes like Russ.

“Hello, little one,” Kara said, looking down over her shoulder. She looked up at Andrea and Russ. “He has eyes like Andrea, and like your sire, Russ.”

“Yes, everyone in the family was surprised when I took after my dam instead of the rest of the Els,” Russ said with a nod.

“I’m not sure _little one_ is entirely accurate,” Lena said, stroking one chubby arm that had escaped the blanket.

“Nine pounds, four ounces,” Russ announced proudly. “Healthy and strong.”

“Have you picked out a name?” Lena asked as the baby caught her finger in his grip.

Andrea looked up at Russ and he nodded fondly.

“We’re naming him after my father, Bernardo,” she replied. “But we’re going to call him Nardo, for short. And his Kryptonian name will be Nar-El.”

“Nardo,” Lena said with a nod. She looked up from the baby to see Kara staring at her with wide, damp eyes. “Oh, now you’re really getting ideas.”

Kara just grinned. Lena held the baby for several minutes before passing him to Kara, and she had to admit, watching the Alpha cradling the baby made her own heart swell with emotion. She shared a knowing look with Andrea, who just grinned at her. But when Nardo made even a hint of sound, Kara’s eyes swelled with uncertainty and she quickly placed the baby back on Andrea’s chest.

“Oh, is our fearless Captain afraid of little Nardo?” Andrea teased as she swaddled the baby and made him comfortable against her chest. Kara just blushed.

“I think I’ll go get us some food from the dining hall,” Kara announced, trying to take the attention off of her.

“I’ll go with you, Captain,” Russ said. “I know what my mate likes. And I would like to make the announcement myself.”

“Of course,” Kara agreed. She gave Lena a quick kiss on the cheek and gave Andrea’s hand a squeeze. “We’ll be back soon.”

“We’ll be here,” Lena assured her as Russ gave Andrea and the baby his goodbyes. Once they were gone, Lena sat in the chair beside Andrea’s bed.

“I can’t believe he’s actually here,” Andrea said, looking down at the baby in her arms. “It still doesn’t feel quite real, you know? I mean, I knew he was inside me, but to see him now, it’s just overwhelming.”

“You’re going to be a fantastic mom,” Lena told her.

“And you’re going to be a fantastic god-mom,” Andrea said with a chuckle. She signed and closed her eyes for a moment.

“Are you alright?” Lena asked.

“Yeah, just tired,” Andrea replied. “And a little woozy and nauseous. I’m sure once I get a little bite to eat I’ll feel better.”

“Maybe you should try to nap,” Lena suggested. “I can hold him while you rest.”

“I don’t want to fall asleep,” Andrea whined. “I’m afraid I’ll miss something.”

Lena chuckled. “I promise I’ll wake you up if he starts walking or talking, okay? Andrea? Andy?”

Andrea’s eyes fluttered shut, but not from sleep. Her entire body went limp, and Lena had to move quickly to support the baby’s weight before he tumbled to the side. Lena pulled him into her arms and looked at Andrea with wide eyes, taking in her pale features and the bluish-tint to her lips.

“Alex,” Lena said loudly. “Alex!”

The baby started crying at Lena’s shouting, but Andrea didn’t stir. Alex rounded the corner and opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but immediately closed it when she saw Andrea. She checked the monitors and then pulled back Andrea’s eyelids, but she was unresponsive. Finally she pulled back the layers of blankets on Andrea’s body, and they both froze at the sight that awaited them.

The area around Andrea’s incision was purple, as if severely bruised, and the bed beneath her, between her legs, was soaked with blood.

“She’s hemorrhaging,” Alex said. “I need some help over here!”

Alex and the other med techs crowded around Andrea, immediately going to work to find the source of the bleeding and stop it. Lena could only stand back and try to comfort a crying Nardo.

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m sorry I startled you,” she murmured, kissing the baby’s head. “It’s okay, your mama’s gonna be okay.”

She almost had the baby calm when a roar echoed through the MedBay. Lena looked up as Russ dropped the tray of food he was carrying and rushed the doctors, pushing them aside to get to his mate. Alex turned and shoved him back, leaving bloody handprints on his uniform. Kara immediately ran to his side and yanked him away.

“What happened?” the irate Alpha demanded of anyone who would answer.

“She started hemorrhaging,” Lena replied. “She passed out while we were talking and I called Alex immediately. They’re working to stop the bleeding.”

Russ looked back and forth from Lena to his mate. Nardo chose that moment to start crying, and his father immediately took him into his arms, cooing into his hair and whispering in Kryptonese.

“Are you alright?” Kara asked.

“I’m fine,” Lena said, crossing her arms over her chest. “It was so sudden, none of us realized what was happening.”

She and Kara quickly picked up the mess that had been made when the Alphas dropped their trays upon entering the MedBay. Russ sat holding Nardo, staring as the doctors worked on his mate. Finally, Alex turned away from the surgery, threw away her gloves, and approached them. Russ stood quickly.

“Is she alright?” he asked. “What happened?”

“We’ve stopped the bleeding,” Alex replied. “During pregnancy blood flow to the uterus is increased. Normally after delivery, either natural or surgical, the uterus will begin to contract, slowly returning to normal size but also constricting the blood vessels and stopping the bleeding. In Andrea’s case, that didn’t happen, probably because the baby was so large and she was past her due date. We’ve cauterized the larger vessels and injected medication directly into the uterine muscle to make it contract, which stopped the rest of the bleeding.”

“So she’s going to be alright?” Lena asked.

Alex’s expression was grim. “She lost a lot of blood.”

“So give her a transfusion,” Lena said.

“We’re giving her one right now, along with fluids, but we don’t have enough blood in storage to replace the amount that she lost,” Alex told them.

“Why don’t we have enough?” Kara demanded.

Alex sighed. “We used a lot of our Omega blood stores on the injured Daxamites.”

Kara’s eyes grew wide as the implications of Alex’s words set in, but Lena couldn’t focus on her mate.

“What happens if she doesn’t get enough blood?” Russ asked.

“I’m afraid she’ll go into hemorrhagic shock,” Alex replied grimly. “Her organs will fail, and then her brain will die due to lack of oxygen.”

“No,” Russ said vehemently. “No, that can’t happen.”

“Unless we can get blood—“ Alex began.

“Take mine,” Lena said quickly.

“What?” all three Alphas exclaimed at the same time. Lena looked at them dumbfounded.

“Take mine,” Lena replied. “Why are you looking at me like that? Where do you get your stored blood on Krypton if not from donors?”

“We clone it,” Alex said simply. “But on Earth you donate blood and store it, don’t you?”

“Yes, and I’m a universal donor, so just hook me up and take some of mine,” Lena instructed, already rolling up her sleeve.

“Is it safe?” Kara asked.

Lena rolled her eyes. “I’ve donated blood twice a year since I was seventeen, Kara. I’ll need some juice and a snack and possibly a nap afterward, but it’s perfectly safe.”

“I’ll have Rinna begin drawing blood from you,” Alex said, leading Lena to a nearby table. “But one donor won’t be enough. I’ll send out a message to the other Omegas and ask if any of them can donate. Do you know Andrea’s blood type?”

“She’s A-positive,” Lena replied. “We got typed together at a blood drive in high school. I always joked that it was the only time she ever got an A-plus in school.”

“I’ll go make the all-call,” Alex said, hurrying away.

“Thank you, Lena,” Russ said, his eyes glittering with tears.

“It’s really nothing, Russ, I swear,” Lena said as a dark-haired female Alpha hurried over and began cleaning her arm to begin drawing blood. “Besides, I just got her back. I’m not about to let my best friend die on me.”

“Well, we are in your debt,” Russ said.

Lena snorted. “Just make me your firstborn son’s godmother and we’ll call it even.”

Russ actually smiled at that. “Speaking of, I’m going to go find Nardo a bottle. I’ll be right back.”

Lena sat back in the chair as Rinna walked away, letting gravity do the work of extracting the blood from Lena’s veins. Kara watched the red fluid travel down the tubing suspiciously.

“Look, I know it’s not as technologically advanced as cloning blood, but this is how we do things on Earth all the time. I swear it’s safe,” Lena assured her.

“I know,” Kara said, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced. “I was just thinking… maybe we shouldn’t have pups.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying…”

“You took me from my home planet and manipulated my DNA with the specific purpose of me having pups with you, Kara,” Lena reminded her. “And now you decide that you don’t want that?”

Kara frowned. “I didn’t take you just for that, and you know it. I took you because I wanted to save you. And if I lost you trying to have a pup…”

“Kara, look at me,” Lena said, grabbing her hand with the hand that wasn’t currently having blood drawn. “What’s happening to Andrea is rare, okay? And we’re fixing it. Alex is fixing it, and this blood is going to fix it, and she’s going to be fine.”

“You can’t be sure—“

“I _have_ to be sure, okay?” Lena exclaimed. “I cannot lose my best friend, Kara. So I’m going to keep saying that she’s going to be alright until I speak it into existence. Do you understand me?”

Kara nodded solemnly. “I understand.”

“Good,” Lena huffed, loosening her grip on her mate’s hand but not letting her go. “Now stop all this crazy talk about us not having pups, alright? Because someday, whenever it happens for us, we’re going to have babies, Kara. With your curls and my dimples and they’re going to be the cutest things you’ve ever seen and we’re going to be a happy family, dammit.”

Kara smiled softly. “Speaking it into existence, hmm?”

“Damn right,” Lena sighed. “There’s so much uncertainty, Kara. Sometimes I just have to focus on the best possible outcome to get through it.”

Kara kissed her hand and intertwined their fingers, stroking over the ridges of Lena’s knuckles with her thumb.

“Something’s still bothering you,” Lena said finally.

“How can you tell?” Kara asked.

“Forehead crinkle,” Lena replied. “What is it?”

Kara sighed. “I was just thinking about what Alex said. That we used our stores of cloned blood on the injured Daxamites. And I just thought—“

“Don’t go there, Kara,” Lena warned her. “You did the right thing helping the Daxamites. And you didn’t make that call on your own, I was right there pushing you to help them.”

“But ultimately I brought them on board,” Kara replied. “And what if—“

“Darling, if you spend your entire life thinking out every possible _what if_ scenario, it’ll drive you mad,” Lena told her. “Believe me. Back on Earth, after everything that happened with my brother and mother, I went days and weeks without sleep. All I could think about what _what if I did this_ and _I should’ve done that_. It took several sessions with a very overpriced therapist for me to realize that those kinds of thoughts are a waste of time and energy.”

“Hmm,” Kara hummed noncommittally. Lena just squeezed her hand.

“Everything will be alright,” she said softly. “You’ll see.”

Kara didn’t reply. Their conversation was interrupted as Sam entered the MedBay and took a seat beside Lena.

“Sam!” Lena exclaimed happily. “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you,” she replied. “I’m O-positive, so I can donate blood to Andrea. There’s a few more women on their way. Alex says it should be more than enough.”

Lena’s eyes filled with tears and she looked back at Kara. “See, I told you.”

Kara smiled wryly. “That you did, _i zhao_.”

An hour later, Lena was sitting beside Andrea’s bed with Sam, both of them sipping on bottles of juice and snacking on cookies and crackers Kara had provided them. Their blood had been collected, run through a purification machine, and was now being steadily pumped into Andrea’s body. Lena could already see the difference in Andrea’s complexion as more blood entered her system. In the end ten women had donated a pint of blood each, more than enough to replace what Andrea had lost.

“She’s going to be so angry when she wakes up,” Lena chuckled. “She passed out just as she was telling me how much she didn’t want to fall asleep, she was so afraid she would miss something.”

“I was the same way when Ruby was born,” Sam said with a shrug. “I would fall asleep just staring at her. She was the most beautiful, most fascinating thing in the world.”

As if on cue, Ruby chose that moment to hurry over, cradling baby Nardo against her chest.

“Mom, look, Russ let me hold the baby!” she exclaimed in a stage-whisper. “Isn’t he the cutest?”

“He’s almost as cute as you were,” Sam said with a wink.

Ruby just grinned and looked back down at the baby in her arms. Suddenly she frowned, as if a thought had just occurred to her, and looked back up at her mother.

“Mom, when are you and Alex going to have a baby?”

Lena nearly choked on her orange juice, and Sam didn’t fare much better. She gave Lena a pleading expression, but all Lena could do was shrug.

“We’re, um… We’ll have to talk about it and see, sweetie,” Sam replied, still coughing from her juice going down the wrong way.

“Okay,” Ruby said happily, turning and heading back across the room to where Kara and Russ were sitting and talking.

“Wow,” Lena said when they were alone.

“Yeah, thanks for all your help,” Sam huffed.

“My help? How exactly was I supposed to help with that?” Lena exclaimed.

“I dunno, just…” Sam sighed. “It’s a legitimate question, I guess. Especially considering the background we both come from. Most of my married siblings got pregnant on their honeymoons and then popped out baby after baby. My family read that _be fruitful and multiply_ line in the Bible and took it to the extreme.”

“Have you and Alex talked about that?” Lena asked.

“I know Alex wants a family,” Sam replied. “She says having Ruby is a gift and that parenting her is enough, but I can tell she wants children of her own.”

“And what about you?” Lena asked. “Do you want more children?”

Sam bit her lip. “Ruby is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, in spite of how she was created. I love watching her grow, watching her become such a wonderful person in her own right. I can only imagine how much I would enjoy sharing that with someone I love.”

“So…” Lena pressed, and Sam laughed.

“So yeah, I think I do want to have kids with Alex,” Sam agreed. “It’s just the whole conception part that freaks me out.”

“That’s definitely understandable,” Lena replied.

“I think I could get through it, if it meant having another baby,” Sam said. “I mean, it’s not like sex is the worst thing in the world.”

Lena almost choked on her juice again. Sam just looked at her inquisitively.

“I’m sorry,” Lena said. “I just… I have to remind myself that your only experience with sex must’ve been absolutely horrible. But, just so you know, that really shouldn’t be your baseline for what it’s like between two consenting adults who actually desire each other.”

Sam shrugged. “I mean… my mother always said it was just something that women had to tolerate, that we were obligated to be available for our husbands. She said some women enjoyed it, but that we shouldn’t worry if we didn’t, and we shouldn’t blame our husbands if it wasn’t pleasant.”

“God, I hate your mother more and more every time you tell me something about her,” Lena said, finishing her juice. “Alright, I never imagined I would be sitting on an alien spaceship giving a grown woman the x-rated birds and bees talk, but I’ll do my best. Yes, sex can be painful, but it shouldn’t be. This might be too much information, but sex with Kara is literally the best sex I’ve ever had in my life, and I wasn’t exactly a virgin before I came on this ship. In my experience, these Kryptonians are very in tune with their mates and they want to bring them pleasure. So I think if you decided to give Alex a chance, you’d probably be very pleasantly surprised by how much you enjoy sex.”

Sam stared at her with wide eyes. “Wow.”

“Sorry, was that too much?” Lena asked.

“No, no, it was…” Sam shook her head. “It— I want you to be right, Lena, I really do. I love Alex, and I never thought I would say that about someone after everything I’ve been through. I love how kind and thoughtful she is, and how smart she is, and she’s so strong. And I do want her _that way_. I’m just… What if I’m not built to enjoy it like you are?”

“Look, Sam, I know there are certain medical conditions out there that can make sex less enjoyable and even painful,” Lena said. “But you’ll never know unless you try. And if you do have some kind of medical issue, your mate is a doctor. She can help you fix it.”

Sam chuckled at that. “You’re such a problem solver, you know that?”

Lena shrugged. “I can’t help myself.”

The others chose that moment to join them. Ruby immediately sat on Sam’s lap, in spite of the fact that she was almost as tall as her mother already. Sam just pulled her into a tight hug.

“What are you guys talking about?” Kara asked, pulling Lena up from her seat just to sit back down and pull Lena into her lap.

“Biology,” Lena replied, which made Sam snicker and Kara’s brow crinkle in confusion.

Russ reached out with the hand not holding Nardo and stroked Andrea’s hair. “Wake up, my love. Your son misses you already.”

As if on cue Nardo whimpered and let out a piercing cry. And Lena wasn’t sure if it was just serendipitous timing or maternal instinct at work, but a moment later Andrea’s eyelids fluttered. Her brow wrinkled, and then she blinked drowsily.

“Andy?” Lena said just as Russ said, “Andrea?”

“Mmm… baby,” Andrea mumbled. “Where is he?”

“He’s right here, love,” Russ assured her. “He’s right here and he’s fine. You’re both fine.”

Lena leaned back into Kara’s chest. “See, I told you everything would be alright.”

Kara just squeezed her tighter. “You did, and it is.”

Alex joined them and, after checking Andrea’s vitals, declared that she was going to make a full recovery and could return to her quarters in a few hours. She wrapped her arms around Sam’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to Ruby’s head.

Everything was alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an incredibly personal chapter to write because what happened to Andrea actually happened to my mother when I was born (and some other medical complications, basically it is a miracle I still have a mom) and it was kind of therapeutic to write it and the happy ending.
> 
> Also I love writing any interactions between Lena and Andrea and Sam. They make me super happy.
> 
> We are almost at the end of the second arc of this story. I’ve been keeping it mainly Lena’s POV but debating making a chapter or part of a chapter Sam’s POV to include her and Alex mating. Thoughts everyone?
> 
> Stay safe!


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Alex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked and so you shall receive.
> 
> I am doing ONE chapter focused on Sam and Alex, and it almost killed me to try to get into Sam’s head, so don’t ask for more, that’s why it took so long for me to post an update (also this is right at 11,000 words by itself)
> 
> I debated posting this as a separate story, but to keep everything together I just decided to post it as part of the main story post. If you don’t want Sam and Alex, just skip, I won’t be offended and it won’t really affect the flow of the story.
> 
> For those who want to skip and don’t want to wait, I’m posting the next chapter that’s back to mainly Lena’s POV immediately after this.

Sam fidgeted on the MedBay bench, fighting the urge to scratch at the IV line in her arm. A tech had started a radioactive drip that would make her cells susceptible to the Kryptonian DNA that would be injected into her system next, and the process was making her woozy already. Lena had gone to get her a snack, hoping that something small on her stomach would settle her. Sam doubted that it would, but she couldn’t deny the other woman’s attempts to help her. Ever since she had been brought aboard the Kryptonian ship, Lena had become an unexpected lifeline, a friend and an ally the likes of which Sam had never had before.

“How are you doing?”

Sam almost jumped off of the bench at the unexpected voice.

“I’m sorry!” Alex exclaimed, taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Sam sighed. “It’s fine. I’m just… on edge.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed, shifting from one foot to the other. Obviously Sam wasn’t the only one who was nervous. She held a large glass vial close to her chest, holding it like it was something precious.

“Is that—?” Sam began.

“My genetic material,” Alex said with a nod. “Once I attach this to the drip, it’ll start attaching to the DNA in your cells. It’ll make you an Omega, and it’ll make it so that you and I can conceive pups in the future… If that’s what you want.”

Sam nodded. “Lena told me you only get one of those.”

“Oh,” Alex said, surprised. “Um… Yeah. It’s a law that’s in place to protect the humans that are Collected. Each Alpha only gets one vial to use on a human.”

“Are you sure you want to use it on me?” Sam asked quickly.

Alex’s eyes widened. “Sam…”

“I’m not… I’ve got so much baggage, Alex,” Sam told her.

Alex shifted nervously again. “You’re… You’re not the only one.”

Sam looked at her curiously and Alex sighed.

“May I?” she asked, gesturing toward the edge of the bench. Sam nodded and Alex sat, perched delicately beside Sam’s knees. “A few years ago, I decided that I was ready to have a mate, so I started going to the meeting places in Kandor— the city where the Collected human women live on Argo. I met a woman named Maggie, and I fell in love with her.”

Sam wasn’t sure she wanted to hear this. The thought of Alex with someone else sent a flare of jealousy through her chest so vivid that it startled her.

“I thought we were going to be mates,” Alex continued. “I asked her, and she said yes. I requested my vial be taken out of storage, and she scheduled an appointment to undergo the genetic modification procedure.”

“What happened?” Sam asked.

“She… She backed out, the day before her appointment was scheduled,” Alex said. “Maggie didn’t want kids, never had, but I thought maybe if I just loved her enough she would eventually change her mind. She offered to stay with me, as a human, but we would never have any children. And I… I’ve always wanted to be a sire, to have a family of my own, so we ended it.”

“Oh,” Sam said, weighing Alex’s words in her mind.

“So, I’m not going to lie, I have baggage, too,” Alex said. “But… I want to try this with you.”

“What if I can’t give you what you want?” Sam asked. “I’m still… The idea of a physical relationship…”

“We can wait as long as you need to for that,” Alex assured her.

“But what about a family?”

“You’d be my family, you and Ruby,” Alex replied. “And yes, if someday we decide that we want children, I would absolutely love that. But if not, I would be a happy Alpha with just you and Ruby to call my own.”

Sam chewed at the inside of her jaw. She wanted to say yes, but part of her mind just wouldn’t stop reminding her that it couldn’t be that easy, that Alex would grow to resent her if they went through with this.

“I’m not sure I can… I mean… I may be too broken,” she said finally.

“Hey, look at me,” Alex said, putting her hands on Sam’s shoulders. “You are not broken. You are not damaged. You are a survivor and you are strong. And I would be so proud to have you as my mate.”

“Kiss me.”

The words were out of her mouth before she could really think them through, startling both of them. A blush colored Alex’s cheeks, and Sam could feel a corresponding one on her own.

“In my family… I was taught that everything romantic and intimate should be saved for marriage,” she explained. “And then Jacob… Well, he took a lot from me, but he never kissed me. I was saving that for my wedding. But… Do Kryptonians even have weddings?”

“We can, if you want,” Alex told her. “The higher houses would have mating celebrations to declare unions between them, but my family isn’t that important. Some humans have held wedding ceremonies when they mate.”

Sam shook her head. “No, I don’t want anything, really. I just… I just want to kiss you. To see if there’s a spark, I guess? It’s silly, I suppose, but…”

“No, it’s not… Of course we can,” Alex said. “I… I’d really like to kiss you, actually.”

“Oh,” Sam said, blush intensifying.

“Yeah,” Alex replied with a smile. She put the vial she was carrying down and reached toward Sam. “May I?”

“Ye—Yes,” Sam stuttered, sitting up slightly.

Sam had always imagined what her first kiss would be like. She had seen enough of them at weddings— her siblings, friends, other family members— and on television. For years she had built it up in her head as some huge, life-changing thing, magical and awe-inspiring. Then she had talked to those married women and her expectations had changed, lowered. Maybe it wasn’t so awe-inspiring, more pitiful and messy. Her feelings about the whole thing flip-flopped regularly, either hoping for spectacular or preparing for the worst.

Of course, in all her fantasies her first kiss had taken place in a church, with her in a white gown, in front of a crowd of people. And she was kissing a human man. She never could’ve imagined kissing in the middle of a bustling MedBay on an alien ship. And she certainly never imagined Alex.

The Alpha cupped her hand around Sam’s jaw and stroked her thumb across her cheekbone before dipping her head in closer. The first press of her lips against Sam’s was butterfly soft, barely a hint before she pulled back slightly. Sam surprised both of them by pressing forward and chasing Alex’s lips with her own.

It wasn’t what she expected, but it was everything she had hoped for. Alex’s lips were warm and soft against her own, slanted and pushing and pulling ever so gently. Her hand glided back from Sam’s jaw to the nape of her neck where she buried her fingers in brown hair to hold Sam close, as if she would run away. But Sam wasn’t running— instead she arched up from the bench and reached to pull Alex closer, but was stopped by an itching, uncomfortable tug against the skin of her hand.

She must’ve made a sound of discomfort, because Alex pulled away abruptly. The Alpha smiled softly and reached for Sam’s raised hand, stroking her thumb over the skin beside the IV line.

“Careful, babe,” she said, and Sam’s heart stuttered. Alex already had a pet name for her. Alex looked up at her, joy melding with uncertainty in her eyes. “Is that okay? I mean, was the kiss—?”

“It was perfect,” Sam told her honestly. She wanted to kiss Alex again, wanted to tug her closer just to feel the warmth from the rest of her body. She had expected a spark, but what she felt for Alex was more like a glowing— warm and steady and constant.

“Yeah, I thought so, too,” Alex said with a small grin. “So… Can I hook this vial up to your drip now?”

It was a simple question that masked many others. But now Sam knew her answer. “Yes, go ahead.”

Alex’s grin spread into a wide smile and she moved to place the vial. She watched as the red-tinted liquid began mixing in the IV line and then disappeared into the needle and into Sam’s bloodstream.

“How do you feel?” Alex asked, though Sam was pretty sure she wouldn’t feel anything just moments after starting the drip.

“A little cold,” she replied honestly.

Alex nodded. “That can be a side effect. Let me grab you a blanket.”

The Alpha quickly retrieved one of the scratchy but warm blankets from a nearby cabinet and spread it over Sam’s legs and torso, tucking her in carefully. She looked down, examining her work, before reaching to tuck Sam’s hair behind her ear.

“Better?” she asked.

“Much,” Sam replied.

Alex bent down and Sam thought she might kiss her again, but instead of kissing her lips, Alex pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Mine,” the Alpha murmured, her voice soft but rough and possessive. It probably should’ve freaked her out, but instead it sent a feeling of comfort radiating through Sam’s entire being from the place where Alex’s lips had touched her skin.

“Does that mean you’re mine, too?” she asked.

Alex just grinned. “Yes, I’m yours.”

Sam thought she quite liked that idea.

——

“But do I have to go?”

Sam braced herself for another argument. It had been just over a week since they came aboard the Kryptonian ship and departed for Argo, and the subject of Ruby’s education had come up. All of the Arias children had been homeschooled together in their house, sequestered from the rest of the world. But Kryptonian children were taught in small groups by trained teachers, and Alex had suggested that Ruby might join the children on board in their studies. It would give Ruby a chance to learn about the culture she was joining, and to make friends amongst the children, even if they were all younger than her. It would also give Sam a chance to start her own acclimation to life amongst the Kryptonians, separate from Ruby.

But since they had told the twelve-year-old that she would be starting classes with the other children, she had been adamantly opposed. Sam had seen fear in Ruby’s eyes that she had rarely ever seen before, and while she wanted to comfort her daughter, she also believed that joining the other children would be best for her. They had gone rounds for two days now, and Ruby had gone from fearful to crying to downright angry in her protests. And while Sam had always been Ruby’s primary caregiver, the transition from thinking of Sam as her big sister and protector to her actual mother only complicated matters.

“Ruby, can we please not do this in the middle of the dining hall?” Sam asked with a tired sigh.

Ruby just huffed as she shoved her plate away. Alex looked between the two of them with uncertainty for a moment before reaching for Ruby’s plate and sliding it back toward her.

“Finish your dinner, Ruby,” she said, her voice soft but sharp.

“I don’t want it,” Ruby replied sullenly.

“Then you shouldn’t have gotten it,” Alex replied. “If you don’t finish it, you can’t have any of the dessert I showed you how to make yesterday.”

Ruby seemed to consider that. She reluctantly took two more bites, then sighed. “I’m really not hungry.”

“Okay,” Alex said, taking her plate along with the adults’ and clearing the table. “Sam, do you want any dessert?”

“No, not tonight,” Sam replied.

“Good, I don’t either,” Alex declared. “Let’s go back to our room.”

Once they were back in their quarters, Ruby headed toward her room.

“Hey, Ruby, wait up,” Alex called.

Ruby turned with a huff. “What?”

“I want to show you something,” Alex said, grabbing a nearby tablet and sitting on the sofa. She patted the cushion next to her. “Come here, please.”

Ruby rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. She sat beside Alex with a plop, but then her eyes widened as she took in the images on the screen.

“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed. “Is that on Argo?”

Alex nodded. “These are Argo’s Rainbow Plains. See how the grasses reflect different colors?”

Ruby watched, fascinated, as Alex flipped through images from Argo. Sam stood in the small kitchenette nearby, pretending to organize the breakfast dishes from that morning. She was curious about the pictures herself, but more curious to watch Alex and Ruby interact.

“The children on board are learning about Argo’s different regions right now with their teachers,” Alex told Ruby, and the girl frowned.

“But… couldn’t you?” she asked.

Alex sighed. “I would love to teach you all of these things, Ruby. And I’m so excited to show you things and spend more time with you when we get to Argo. But I have my duties to attend to in the MedBay. And the teachers on board are very good at what they do. They can teach you everything you need to know even better than I can.”

“What about Mom?” Ruby asked, looking between the two of them.

“There are Omegas who teach the Collected women things they need to know as well,” Alex replied. “And she can decide what she wants to do with her time. If she wants to stay home, or if she wants to become a teacher, or a doctor like me, or something else. But she deserves to make that choice, without feeling guilty that she’s not spending all her time with you, don’t you think?”

Ruby blinked slowly. “Oh. I never really thought of that.”

“Mmhmm,” Alex said with a nod. “Listen… You can work up to it slowly, if you want. You don’t have to spend all day with them at first. You can just do a few hours. But I think if you give it a chance, you’ll enjoy learning from the teachers on board. And even though most of the Kryptonian children are a few years younger than you, I think you could make some friends there.”

“I’ve never had many friends,” Ruby said softly. “Siblings and cousins and nieces and nephews, but never many friends.”

“Just give it a try, for me,” Alex said softly.

“What if they don’t like me because I’m human?”

Alex wrapped her arm around Ruby’s shoulder. “Then you just tell me, and I’ll take care of it.”

“You promise?”

“Promise.”

——

_Sam could feel the arms of the Collection Bureau agents wrapped around her body, pulling her from her childhood home. The rest of the family sat in a circle in the family room, staring after her with tear-soaked eyes as they prayed, but no higher power was going to step in and save her now. Jacob Arias, Sr., stood red-faced beside the door, swearing up and down that he would get his daughter back and that this immoral process would be stopped. Patricia Arias stood in the far corner, silent as stone. Her strong arms held back Ruby’s struggling body as the twelve-year-old fought to get to Sam._

_Ruby…_

_“No! Ruby! You can’t take me, no!”_

“Sam! Sam, hey, wake up!”

Sam struggled free from the strong grip around her waist and suddenly the arms were gone. She kicked off the covers and turned quickly, eyes opening to take in the dark room.

“Oh.”

Alex was half sitting up in bed, her dark eyes gleaming in the dim nightlight from the bathroom. Sam dug her hands into the sheets as reality slowly drove the nightmare from her mind. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of the linen beneath her hands, on the cool air hitting her sweat-dampened skin, on the sound of her breathing— _in, out, in, out_.

Finally she could feel the stress begin to flow out of her muscles and she let out a deep sigh. She pulled her knees up to her chest and ran her hands through her hair, nails digging lightly into her scalp.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” she said softly. “Again.”

“I don’t mind, you know,” Alex assured her, as she did every night when a nightmare disturbed their sleep. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Sam sniffed. “They were taking me out of the house again. Away from Ruby.”

“Oh,” Alex said, her tone sympathetic. “Do you wanna go check on her?”

Sam’s heart did a little flip-flop at Alex’s words. It wasn’t the first time she had had a nightmare like this, and every time she always felt the need to go check on Ruby, to make sure she was really on the ship with them. And every single time, Alex would walk with her, reassuring her that she and Ruby were safe, staying with her for as long as she wanted to stay and watch her sleeping daughter. Sam would always tell her that she could go back to bed, that she would be fine on her own, but Alex would insist on staying— “If that’s alright with you”— and it was always alright with Sam because Alex’s steady presence comforted her every single time.

Sam nodded and they rose from bed together, moving in sync. Alex followed a few steps behind as Sam padded through the doorway, through the living area, to the smaller room where Ruby slept. The twelve year old was sleeping soundly, spread out like a starfish in the bed with one foot poking out from under the covers. Sam leaned against the door and watched the rise and fall of her chest, just like she used to when Ruby was a newborn and she couldn’t quite believe that she had made another human being.

Alex moved to stand behind her. “Can I—?“

Sam nodded before Alex could finish her question. The Kryptonian was always considerate, always asking for permission before she touched her. Alex moved to rest her hands on Sam’s hips, and Sam pulled her until her arms wrapped around her waist. It was a comical pretzel— Alex was actually a bit shorter, but the Alpha liked to be the big spoon— but somehow they made it work so that Alex could rest her head on Sam’s shoulder.

“She’s such a good kid,” Alex murmured, pressing a kiss to the skin of Sam’s shoulder where it was exposed by her tank-top.

“She really is,” Sam agreed. She sighed. “I’m sorry I woke you up. We can go back now.”

“Or we can stay here a little longer,” Alex said, squeezing her slightly. Sam relaxed into her embrace.

“So… Ruby asked me an interesting question today,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Oh? What was that?” Alex asked.

“She asked when we’re gonna have a baby.”

Behind her, the Alpha froze, her body tensing until Sam was almost afraid to move, afraid Alex might break if she did. Finally she exhaled, a very long breath, the air hot against Sam’s shoulder.

“And what did you tell her?” she asked, her tone curious and hopeful and more than a little anxious.

“I told her that we would have to talk about it,” Sam replied.

“Hmm,” Alex hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this right outside of her room.”

The Alpha pulled away and offered Sam her hand. Sam took it and followed as Alex led her back to their bedroom. She could still remember the first night Alex had brought them here, how the Alpha had helped her tuck Ruby into her bed and made it clear that the girl could come get them if she needed anything in the night, how she had told Sam she was welcome to sleep with Ruby instead, or by herself and Alex could sleep on the sofa. How she had promised, repeatedly, that she wouldn’t touch Sam without her permission. How Alex had tried, and failed, to stay on her own side of the bed, and they had repeatedly woken up both in the center with Alex curled around Sam’s back, arms wrapped around her middle, until Sam had just laughed and started pulling Alex into that position every night.

They both crawled back under the covers and Alex turned to Sam, propping her head up on an elbow. Sam rested her chin on her folded arms and looked up at the Alpha. But now that they were comfy and alone, neither seemed to know how to broach the subject at hand.

“Do you— I mean—“ Alex began, only for Sam to begin talking at the same time.

“I don’t— I just—“ Sam sighed.

“Maybe we should just wait and talk about this tomorrow,” Alex said, swirling her finger in circles on the sheet beneath them.

Sam reached out and grabbed the Alpha’s hand with her own, twining their fingers together. “I want to have a baby with you.”

Alex’s eyes grew with shock. “You do? I mean… Are you sure?”

Sam chuckled. “I’ve thought about it. I want Ruby to have a sibling, or siblings— real siblings. And I want to experience having a child or children with someone I care about, and really raising them myself. And you… Gosh, after watching you with Ruby, I know you would be a great mom, er, sire.”

Alex stared at her for a moment longer before pulling her hand toward her and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

“You are an amazing woman, you know that?” she asked in an awe-filled voice.

Sam just blushed. “I’m the same woman who woke you up screaming from a nightmare a few minutes ago.”

“Exactly,” Alex said. “You’ve been through so much and yet here you are wanting to start a family with me on a new planet. That’s… You’re so strong, babe.”

Sam could feel her blush intensify, and she buried her face in the sheets. Alex just laughed at her and tugged at their joined hands until she rolled over and the Alpha could pull her closer.

“You won’t have a heat cycle for about four more months,” Alex said, snuggling closer still.

Sam tensed at that. “Yeah… I was thinking about that.”

Alex looked up. “What? What were you thinking?”

“I was just… I was thinking that I’m not sure I want our first time together to be when I’m in heat,” Sam told her, blushing again. At this rate she thought her cheeks might actually start glowing in the dark.

“Oh,” Alex said, processing her words. “ _Oh_.”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded. “I just… I was talking to Lucy—“

“Of course you were,” Alex muttered.

“—And the way she described it was… intense,” Sam said. “I want to be more in control when we… when we mate. I like you, Alex, I… I _love_ you, and I want to be able to focus on that and not just hormone-fueled lust.”

Alex blinked. “You love me?”

Sam nodded. “I do. I really do. I love how strong you are, and yet so gentle, and how smart you are, and how much you care about people— about me and Ruby. I love your hair and your eyes and your smile, and I love how you snore. I love how you make me feel— respected and safe and treasured— and you’ve made me feel like that from the first day we met.”

“I— Wow,” Alex breathed.

“You don’t have to, you know, say it back if you don’t—“

“Sam,” Alex said, cupping her cheeks. “I love you. I think I might’ve loved you from the first day I met you, honestly, because you are just so amazing. I know that sounds crazy but I just felt this… this pull toward you, you know? And every day I get to know you and learn more about you and I realize that I was right that first day— you are amazing and beautiful and so strong that it blows me away. I fall more in love with you every single day, and sometimes I can’t imagine how it could possibly be more, but then you go and do something like talk to me about having babies in the middle of the night and I love you even more. I’ll say it every day if I have to, to remind you. I love y—“

Sam cut her off with her lips. They had kissed before, the day that Sam had undergone the genetic modification treatment, but since then they hadn’t kissed on the lips again. They had kissed each other on the cheek, on the forehead, hands, shoulders— whatever they could reach— but never on the lips, never a _real_ kiss. 

And this? This was _definitely_ a real kiss.

Sam wasn’t quite sure what she was doing, just that she needed to feel Alex’s lips on hers, but the Alpha responded to her inexperienced attempts with fervor. She could feel Alex’s smile against her lips for just a moment before they slanted, fitting against Sam’s perfectly, stroking and sucking delicately at Sam’s lips for a long moment before licking along Sam’s bottom lip. Sam opened her mouth and Alex’s tongue dipped in tentatively before becoming bolder. With each breath a rumbling sound echoed from Alex’s throat, and it made Sam’s skin prickle with excitement.

The Alpha’s hands weren’t idle; they fit at Sam’s waist perfectly, slipping under the loose shirt Sam slept in to nest on bare skin. Then one hand twisted around Sam’s back, fingers digging into the pliant muscle and flesh there, and the other traced up her front.

Sam wanted to touch as well, but she hardly knew where to start. One hand dug into Alex’s short hair, accidentally tugging slightly, but just as Sam thought she should apologize for hurting her Alex let out a moan that was definitely more pleasure than pain, so Sam tugged again. Alex pulled their bodies closer together and moaned into Sam’s mouth as the Alpha’s hips began moving, making small circles against her own. The warm scent of vanilla and something earthy filled the air around them, and the scent made Sam clench and sigh with arousal.

Sam could hear her pulse throbbing in her ears, but Alex’s lips felt so good against her own. She could do this, she _wanted_ to do this. She wanted to hear those pleasured moans from Alex’s mouth, wanted to be the cause of it. And it felt _good_ , just like Lena had said it would. She could do this… She could do this… She could…

Alex pulled back, her purring suddenly silent, and looked down at her. “You’re shaking.”

Sam’s eyes widened as she took stock of herself. From head to toe, her entire body was vibrating like a freshly-plucked harp-string. Her hands were shaking so badly that when Alex reached for one, it almost shook loose from her grasp. The vanilla scent in the air was suddenly tainted with something metallic.

“I—“ Sam began before realizing that unbidden tears were welling up in her eyes. “No! No, no, no!”

“It’s okay,” Alex assured her, scooting away, but Sam clung to her tightly, pulling her flush against her body and wrapping her arms around the Kryptonian’s shoulders.

“No, it’s not okay!” Sam exclaimed, voice broken by sobs. “I _want_ this! I really do.”

“I know you do,” Alex murmured into her neck. She pressed a kiss to the spot where Sam’s neck met her shoulder and sighed. “But not tonight.”

Alex peeled herself away from Sam and reached up to wipe the wetness from her cheeks.

“In a few days, we’re going to ask Kara and Lena if Ruby can stay with them for the night,” Alex told her. “And then we’ll have the whole night together to figure this out, okay? A whole night when we don’t have to worry about a kid in the other room, or me needing to be on call for the MedBay. Just you and me and we can take all the time in the world for you to be comfortable. Sound good?”

Sam nodded. “Yeah, that sounds amazing.”

Alex smiled softly. “Good.”

The Alpha bent and kissed her again, her lips soft and sweet and a little bit salty from Sam’s tears. Then she turned Sam in her arms and pulled her flush against her, and Sam could feel the pressure of the Alpha’s erection against her butt.

“Are you sure you’re—?”

“I’ll survive,” Alex replied, a small, gruff purr escaping her throat. “But if you’re not comfortable I can—“

“No! It’s fine,” Sam told her. And it was. A month earlier and it would’ve terrified Sam, but now it was just another part of Alex, so maybe that’s progress at least. “I like it when you hold me.”

She could practically feel Alex’s smile against the skin of her neck. “You like being the little spoon?”

Sam snorted. “Just because you like being the big spoon.”

Alex chuckled and pressed a kiss to the back of Sam’s neck. “Goodnight, babe.”

“Goodnight, Alex.”

——

Sam wasn’t sure if there was a set record for how fast someone agreed to babysit, but the words were barely out of her mouth before Lena agreed, a wide smile on her face as she nodded so quickly that her ponytail bobbed wildly. Kara seemed to take a moment to realize what they were really asking for, but she agreed just as readily. Ruby was a bit nervous about spending the night away from her mother at first, but as Kara began listing all the fun things they could do together, Ruby warmed up to the idea, and by the time Kara and Lena came by their quarters to pick her up the next evening, Ruby was nearly bursting with excitement.

Sam was nearly bursting as well, but her own excitement was tinged with more than a little anxiety. As soon as the door closed, leaving her and Alex alone, she looked at the Alpha and her cheeks blushed pink.

“Dinner,” Alex announced, clearly noticing but not referencing Sam’s sudden bout of shyness. “I thought we could eat here, if that’s alright.”

Sam nodded in agreement and Alex sent for a service robot to bring them food. In just a few minutes their dinner was served and Alex was pulling Sam’s chair out from the table and gesturing for her to sit. Sam couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s my first date,” she explained gleefully when Alex gave her a curious look. “I feel like I should’ve dressed up or something.”

“I think you look beautiful,” Alex told her, and Sam could sense the honesty in her words.

“I guess it doesn’t really matter when we’re doing things out of order,” Sam said with a shrug.

“Doing things in order is overrated,” Alex replied, picking up her glass in a toast. “Cheers to doing things out of order.”

Sam raised her glass and clinked it with another giggle. Being with Alex was simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing she had ever done. The Alpha made her feel safe, and did everything she could to relax her and put her mind at ease. And yet everything in her past made her blood burn with anxiety.

“... I had to get creative and use a different compound, but it worked,” Alex said, telling Sam about a patient in the MedBay. “But once we arrive on Argo he’ll be able to get the proper medication.”

“How long will that be?” Sam asked.

“About another week, maybe less,” Alex replied.

“Are you excited to go back home?” Sam asked.

Alex sighed. “I am. And I’m excited to show you and Ruby my home— _our_ home. Although, I may look into getting our own home, separate from the royal court when we return.”

“I thought you weren’t part of the court?” Sam asked, confused.

“Well, I’m not, technically,” Alex said. “I’m one of the court physicians, though, when I’m on Argo. It’s less busy than my work here, because there are more of us. I have quarters in the royal palace, and there’s a spare room for Ruby, so they’re large enough for us. But I think I might like a place outside the palace, to get away from all that.”

“Will Kara and Lena stay at the royal palace?”

“I— ideally, yes. That’s where Kara lives now,” Alex replied, her voice thick with worry. “But that all depends on the outcome of their trials, especially Kara’s.”

Sam had almost forgotten about that. Seeing Kara and Lena together now, it was easy to forget exactly what had started their relationship. But Sam could tell it weighed heavily on Alex.

“You’re worried for her,” she said, and it wasn’t a question.

“I am,” Alex said with a nod. “Kara… We may not be blood, but I consider her my sister. Ever since we met in the orphanage years ago, we’ve been connected. When I found out what she had done, I thought she was insane. Now, though… Now, I can understand.”

“I guess seeing her and Lena together would change your opinion,” Sam conceded.

“It wasn’t seeing her and Lena together that did it,” Alex told her. “It was you.”

“Me?” Sam exclaimed.

“You,” Alex replied. “I didn’t understand how Kara could possibly feel so much for a woman she didn’t even know until I saw you. But as soon as they brought you into the MedBay that day, part of me knew that you would be mine. I tried to shake it off, but as the days went by, the feeling just got stronger.”

“Is that normal for Kryptonians?” Sam asked.

Alex shook her head. “Not that I know of. James said he felt something similar when he met Lucy, but I had never heard of it before. When we get back to Argo, I’m going to ask J’onn. He’s my mentor, almost a father figure in a way. He was friends with my father during the war, and when I came of age he took me under his wing.”

“Is he a doctor, like you?”

“No,” Alex said with a laugh. “No, he’s a soldier, or he was. Now he’s a man of faith, and he’s a member of the Council. He’ll be thrilled to meet you, and Ruby.”

“I look forward to it,” Sam replied. She looked down at her empty plate and sighed. “I’m stuffed.”

“Me too,” Alex said, standing up quickly. “How about you go take a bath while I clean up? I’ll be waiting in the bedroom when you’re done.”

Sam’s heart skipped a beat, but she nodded in agreement. As she stood, Alex took her hand and pulled her close.

“How are you feeling?” the Alpha asked, running her hands gently up and down Sam’s forearms.

“Good,” Sam replied quickly, then, “Fine. Well… I’m nervous. But fine.”

“You know we don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” Alex told her.

“I know,” Sam sighed. “But I want this, I do. I want to be with you. I’m just afraid that I’m going to freak out and ruin everything.”

“Even if you do freak out, it won’t ruin anything,” Alex assured her. “No matter what happens tonight, I’ll still be here when you wake up tomorrow morning and every morning after that. I promise.”

Sam studied Alex’s face for a long moment before wrapping her arms around the Kryptonian’s shoulders. “How did I get so lucky to find you?”

Alex shrugged. “I dunno, but you’re right, you’re definitely lucky. I am pretty awesome.”

Sam giggled and buried her face in Alex’s neck, kissing the skin there softly. Alex shivered in her arms.

“How about that bath?” Alex asked, pulling away and tugging Sam toward the en-suite bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, Sam’s fingers were turning pruny and the water was beginning to chill as she tried to muster up the courage to leave the safety of the tub and join Alex in the bedroom. Her skin was scrubbed pink, her legs were shaved, and her entire body smelled of lavender and something that was definitely alien but sweet, but her heart still hammered like it might burst from her chest at any moment. She leaned against the side of the tub and sighed, then stiffened all the muscles in her body.

“This is Alex,” she whispered resolutely. “She’s waiting for you. Pull yourself together.”

The thought of Alex waiting in the other room made her shiver with a different sort of anticipation. She had never experienced the feelings she had for the Kryptonian Alpha for anyone before, and that in and of itself was soothing. Alex may not have been her first, but she would be her first in everything that mattered.

She drained the tub and toweled her skin dry, then looked around the bathroom to the pajamas she had set out earlier. Her fingers traced over the silky fabric before falling back to her side. There wasn’t much point in dressing if she planned on undressing in just a few moments anyway. Instead she wrapped her towel securely around her torso and made her way into the bedroom.

The lights in the bedroom had lowered to their evening setting, casting a soft glow around the room. The bedsheets were folded down and tucked immaculately. And at the foot of the bed, Alex was sitting with her back toward the door, but when she heard the mechanical hiss, the Alpha stood and turned.

Sam’s breath caught in her throat. Alex had styled her hair in a softer, wavy side-swept style, and she had changed from her uniform into a long robe made of purple silk.

“Wow,” Sam whispered as she looked the Alpha up and down. “You look… wow. I feel underdressed.”

Alex smiled softly as she stepped closer. She reached around and pulled the clip out of Sam’s hair before running her fingers through the shoulder-length tresses.

“You’re beautiful,” Alex said, leaning in close. “Can I kiss you?”

“You can do whatever you want,” Sam said breathlessly. “I want you, Alex.”

Alex dug her fingers into her hair and kissed her, tenderly but thoroughly, until all Sam could do was groan and melt into her embrace. The sound made the Alpha even bolder, and she slipped her tongue into the heat of Sam’s mouth, stroking and tasting and coaxing Sam to do the same. Sam reached around and clutched at Alex’s shoulders, fingers digging roughly into the silken material of her robe as she held on for dear life.

After several minutes, Alex pulled away and looked down between them. Her hands dropped to where the towel was tucked precariously just above Sam’s breasts.

“May I?” she asked, and Sam nodded quickly, before her anxious mind could catch up with her actions.

Deft fingers released the towel and the material fell to the floor with a soft huff. Alex backed away slightly, looking down Sam’s body. The brunette blushed at the open appraisal, pulling her hands back. She was tempted to cover herself, but then reminded herself that Alex was to be her mate, so she would want to see her body. The air was suddenly filled with Alex’s scent, sweet vanilla and leather. The Alpha swallowed hard and a rumble escaped her throat as she reached for Sam’s hands, taking them into her own and pulling one up to her lips for a kiss.

“You,” she kissed the back of Sam’s knuckles, “are,” she kissed her fingertips, “so,” she kissed her palm, “beautiful.”

She pressed a final kiss to Sam’s wrist before releasing her. “Lie back for me?”

Sam quickly moved onto the bed, scooting until her head was resting on the pillows. Goosebumps prickled her skin as the cold air hit her, and she found herself missing the other woman’s touch. She looked up to see Alex watching her with a hungry expression as she toyed with the sash of her robe.

“Do it,” Sam said, her voice breathless. “I want to see you, too.”

For once the Alpha seemed as nervous as Sam felt. Sam propped herself up on her elbows as Alex stiffened her shoulders and unfastened the robe. She loosened the tie and shrugged the silky material off her shoulders all in one quick movement before standing stiffly at the edge of the bed, hands clenching and unclenching with nervousness at her sides.

Sam swallowed hard as her eyes trailed down from Alex’s face. She had grown up surrounded by _modesty culture_ , so her experience with nudity was limited to children and dolls with anatomically-incorrect lumps. But even so, she knew that Alex was beautiful. The Alpha was all pale skin over lithe muscle and gorgeous curves. Sam felt her cheeks flush as her gaze fell on the Alpha’s breasts, nipples taut from arousal and the chill of the air. Further down her abdominal muscles flexed with every shallow breath and below that…

Sam looked away shyly, but the image of Alex’s womanhood, already half-erect, was etched into her mind already.

“Do you… I mean… Does it make you uncomfortable?” Alex asked, her voice shy. It was such a contrast to the normally steadfast Alpha that Sam felt her heart melting, and all she wanted to do was hold the woman who would be her mate.

“No,” she answered honestly, looking back to the Alpha’s face. “Not really. It’s just… It’s part of you, I know that. And I love all of you, Alex. I’ve just never seen one, really.”

It was true. In all those years she hadn’t really seen anything, just felt it in the darkness of her childhood bedroom. She pushed those memories from her mind quickly, focusing on Alex’s warm brown eyes. She had to stay in the moment to get through this, that much she knew.

“C’mere,” she said, opening her arms and beckoning the Alpha forward. Alex crawled onto the bed until she was lying beside her, stretched over the soft sheets just a few inches away.

“Don’t be afraid to tell me to stop,” Alex said, reaching out and running her fingers along Sam’s jaw. “I would never forgive myself if I did something to hurt you.”

“Okay,” Sam agreed.

Alex kissed her again, slow and deep and wonderful, but it quickly became something more, hot and hard and all-consuming. Alex kissed her like a starving woman, and Sam gave back just as ravenously. When the Alpha rolled so that she was on top, body cradled between Sam’s legs, Sam shivered, but this time it wasn’t from fear.

“Put your arms around me,” Alex instructed, and Sam realized for the first time that her hands were fisted in the sheets below her, wrinkling the material and almost ripping it in her pleasure. “Pull me close.”

Sam did as she was told, reaching around the Alpha’s shoulders as her lips trailed kisses down Sam’s neck. She paused for a moment, kissing and sucking hard at the skin where neck met shoulder, the place where Kryptonians placed their mating bites. The sensation had Sam’s hips bucking off the mattress, but Alex stilled her with soft, certain hands. Alex kissed her way down Sam’s chest as her hands ghosted up her sides, whisper-soft over her rib cage. She palmed Sam’s breasts in her hands and squeezed softly, making Sam whimper, before dipping her head to take a nipple into her mouth.

“Alex— oh m— oh!” Sam exclaimed in both surprise and pleasure as Alex sucked at her breast and flicked her tongue over the tip. Her nails dug into the Alpha’s shoulders as she switched to give the other side equal attention. Alex stayed there for several minutes, paying homage to her breasts with lips and tongue and teeth.

Meanwhile the Alpha’s hand trailed lower, sliding over the smooth skin of Sam’s belly and even lower. When her fingertips grazed the coarse curls at the apex of Sam’s thighs, Sam stiffened and her breath caught in her lungs. Alex glanced up with hooded brown eyes and released her nipple with a faint _pop_.

“Is this okay?” she asked as her fingers delved lower into wet heat.

Sam nodded and slammed her eyes shut. “Mmhmm.”

Alex’s fingertips brushed a small point just inside her folds and Sam’s hips bucked on their own volition. Alex grinned ferally as she repeated the motion once, twice, three times more. Sam cried out as sensations shot through her body from the place where Alex touched her. It felt good, almost unbearably so, like her nerve endings were on fire but also dancing in the flames. Alex moved up and kissed her again just as her hand moved lower. One finger found her opening and swirled through the wetness there before pushing inside.

Sam yelped in surprise, but Alex kissed her cheek softly and purred soothingly into her ear. She kept kissing and soothing as another finger joined the first and her thumb swirled around, finding the small nub that had given Sam pleasure before. Sam’s mind whirled in a million directions, from the kisses and the murmurs, to the feeling of Alex between her legs, to the overwhelming weight and heat of the Alpha over top of her. She could do this. It was Alex, it was good, it didn’t hurt, it was nothing like before, nothing like those dark nights in her bedroom when he would… he would…

“Stop!” Sam shouted. “Stop, stop, please!”

Alex froze above her and her fingers stilled. Sam whimpered as she pulled her hand free, and shivered as her body moved away and the cold air washed over her. Sam’s eyes were clenched shut, but she could feel the tears leaking down her cheeks.

“Sam, look at me,” Alex instructed, her voice soft but commanding. “Look at me, please.”

Sam opened her eyes, unleashing a river of tears down her cheeks. Alex gently turned her in the bed, until they were lying on their sides face-to-face.

“Look at me,” Alex coached again. “That’s it, babe, now just breathe. In and out, there you go. It’s okay, you’re here with me. You’re safe. Nobody’s gonna hurt you, I’m not gonna hurt you. It’s okay.”

Finally Sam found her voice. “I’m sorry, I just…”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Alex assured her. “Just tell me what happened. Did I hurt you or—?”

“No!” Sam exclaimed. “No, you didn’t hurt me. It felt… It felt good. I just… It was like my mind went back to what Ja— what he did to me and I couldn’t—“

“Okay,” Alex nodded. “That’s okay. Well, it’s not okay, it’s awful, but it’s… I’m glad you stopped me.”

“You are?” Sam asked, confused.

Alex nodded again. “I told you, I don’t want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. We can stop anytime you need to, babe, or try something different. It’s okay.”

Sam nodded in understanding and reached up to dry her eyes. “I’m such a mess.”

“You’re beautiful,” Alex rebuked, reaching out and stroking her cheek. “Do you need to stop? We can take a break, or we can just go to sleep and call it a night. We can always try again another night.”

Sam shook her head. Her fear had dimmed her arousal, but she could still feel it humming beneath the surface. “Can you… Can you kiss me again?”

Alex smiled. “Gladly.”

Alex’s lips were so soft that Sam almost burst into tears again. She reached around the Alpha’s shoulders and pulled her close, skin against skin as she tried to pour every bit of her love and gratitude into each push and pull of her lips. Alex pulled away carefully and looked at her with soft brown eyes.

“I love you,” the Alpha said softly.

“I love you, too,” Sam replied, kissing her again. Alex moved carefully, pushing Sam back onto the bed again, but she held her weight carefully to the side, clearly trying not to overwhelm her again.

Alex pulled back again and studied Sam for a moment. “Can I try something else?”

Sam nodded. “Y— Yes.”

Alex smiled. “Okay. Keep your eyes on me, okay?”

Sam nodded again, staring at Alex as the Alpha moved, spreading Sam’s thighs and moving to her knees between them. She pressed kisses down the length of Sam’s body, some light and chaste, others open mouthed and wet, licking and nipping at Sam’s olive-toned skin until a trail of pale pink marks ran from Sam’s neck to her navel. When she finally reached her destination, Alex pushed Sam’s legs apart and gently nosed at the curls at the apex of her thighs. Sam gasped as she realized what Alex was doing, legs squeezing against the Alpha’s hands.

“Is this okay?” Alex asked.

“I— I guess,” Sam replied, clenching the sheets nervously.

“Are you sure?” Alex pressed, and Sam blushed.

“I dunno,” Sam said. “Isn’t it dirty?”

“Babe, you just had a bath,” Alex reminded her. “Plus, it’s part of you, and I love all of you.”

Sam melted at the way the Kryptonian turned her own words around on her. She sighed and forced herself to relax back into the pillows, but she kept her eyes on the Alpha between her legs.

“Alright,” she said with a slight nod.

Alex didn’t give her time to second guess herself. She ran her tongue through Sam’s wet folds, her touch gentle and exploratory as she watched for Sam’s reaction. It was nice, so Sam relaxed further into the mattress, surrendering to whatever Alex wanted to try.

Then Alex pressed in again with her tongue, and Sam’s back arched off the bed as a jolt of sensation zipped through her body.

“Alex!” she exclaimed as the Alpha wrapped her arms around her hips, holding her in place so Sam’s pelvis wouldn’t break her nose.

“Should I stop?” Alex asked with a grin before returning to that exact spot and lapping over and over again.

“Don’t stop!” Sam gasped as the sensation built and built. “Oh, God, Alex, please don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t—“

There was a spring low in the depths of Sam’s belly, something she had never before realized was there, and with every stroke and flick of her tongue Alex wound it tighter and tighter. Sam’s eyes fought to close as the overwhelming sensations of pleasure blazed through her nerve endings, but Alex’s earlier order to _keep your eyes on me_ echoed through her head. Alex’s tongue was busy, buried in her folds, but her eyes were on Sam’s, and her heated gaze pushed her toward some unknown edge just as much as the flickering motions of her tongue.

“Alex, what’s—?” Sam tried to ask, but she couldn’t manage the words. The edge was right there, so close and so good, but Sam was terrified of falling over.

“Give me your hands,” Alex said, pulling away for just a moment. Sam released the sheets from her grasp and reached down, threading her fingers with the Alpha’s on each of her hipbones. “Good, now let go, babe. Just let go and come for me. I’m right here.”

Alex lowered her head again and her lips found that wonderful button of pleasure, but this time instead of flicking it with her tongue she sucked it between her lips and the pressure, the wonderful pressure—

Sam plummeted over the edge and the spring in her belly exploded, sending waves of bliss through her body. Her toes curled and her hands clenched in Alex’s grip as simultaneous tension and relief swept over her like a rising tide before slowly ebbing, returning to the place where Alex still lapped softly at her folds, licking up every drop of her pleasure. Sam tugged at Alex’s hands and, after some jostling of limbs, the Alpha crawled up her body, face still slick with the evidence of Sam’s release.

“What was that?” Sam asked, breathlessly.

Alex grinned proudly. “That was an orgasm, babe.”

“Oh,” Sam breathed. “ _Oh_. So that’s what all the fuss is about.”

Alex snorted with laughter. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

Sam stared at her with wide eyes. “Can it happen again? Will it happen with you inside me?”

Alex’s laughter died quickly, her humor replaced by raw hunger. “Yes. Do you want to try that?”

Sam looked down between them. Alex was fully erect now, her hard womanhood pressed between them. It was intimidating… but the promise of the pleasure she had just experienced was motivation. Sam stiffened her spine and looked back up at Alex.

“Yes,” she replied resolutely, though her voice was still breathy and raw. “Yes, I want that.”

Alex growled, _actually growled_ , then bent her neck and buried her face in Sam’s neck. She breathed hard for several long moments, pulling herself together, before raising her head again.

“You’ll tell me if you need to stop?” she asked, and Sam nodded. “Promise me?”

“I promise,” Sam replied.

Alex gave her a quick kiss before pulling away to open the drawer on the bedside table. She pulled a small bottle from the drawer and flicked it open to pour something into her hand.

Sam looked at her curiously. “What’s that?”

“Lube,” Alex answered simply, closing the bottle and tossing it aside unceremoniously. She rocked back onto her knees and began spreading the liquid over herself, until her womanhood was shiny and slick.

“Oh,” Sam said, watching with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety and arousal. She could still feel the wetness between her thighs. “Do you think we need it?”

“Just wanna be sure I don’t hurt you,” Alex told her as she moved back into position. She braced her weight on one hand as she hovered above Sam’s body. “Keep your eyes on me, okay?”

“Okay,” Sam agreed as Alex captured her lips in a kiss and moved her hips forward.

Sam stiffened at the first hot, hard nudge against her entrance, and Alex pulled back but the Alpha didn’t stop. Instead she bore down, the pressure gentle but firm, stretching the unused flesh. Sam dug her fingers into Alex’s shoulders as her muscles slowly yielded to the insistent press, and with a burning stretch the head of Alex’s womanhood slipped inside of her.

Sam gasped at the sensation and Alex pressed kisses against her neck.

“Does it hurt?” Alex asked, her voice low and gravelly.

“Keep going,” she urged, not answering the question. There was pain, yes, but it melded with a strange kind of pleasure. “Go slow, but keep going.”

Alex nodded, and took Sam’s words to heart. A sheen of sweat broke out across the Alpha’s flushed skin as she entered Sam at a snail’s pace, with tiny thrusts that brought her infinitesimally closer. Sam’s hands dug into sweat-dampened shoulders as her flesh gave under the steady but gentle assault and the sensations twisted through her body. Finally, _finally_ , after what seemed like a small eternity, Alex’s body was flush against hers and she was fully seated inside.

“Oh, _Rao_ , Sam,” Alex gasped, her voice and expression reverent. She buried her face in Sam’s neck with a sigh. “You feel _so good_.”

A rush of pride blazed through Sam’s body like a physical touch, settling to where they were joined. Finally, Alex looked up at her, a determined look on her face.

“I’m going to move now,” she said. “Tell me if it’s too much.”

It was too much, but not in a bad way. Alex pulled her hips back gradually, and then eased back just as slowly before repeating the motion. The pain eased from Sam’s flesh with each cycle of her hips, but it wasn’t quite enough. She tried bucking her hips up, but still Alex’s pace remained unhurried. Finally, Sam couldn’t stand it any longer. She reached up and captured Alex’s face in her hands, looking deep into the Alpha’s surprised brown eyes.

“More, Alex,” she commanded. “Faster, and more. I can take it.”

“Are you sure?” Alex asked.

Sam nodded, then kissed her again. “I’m sure. I need it. Please, just… _more_.”

Ever one to fulfil her wishes, Alex’s hips flexed ever-so-slightly faster. It was maddening, but gradually Alex increased her pace, watching Sam’s expression for any sign of discomfort or anxiety. But all she found was bliss.

Sam would have laughed if she could’ve managed it between panting breaths and moans of pleasure. With every thrust Alex hit a spot inside her that made her quake with pleasure, sending the spring in her belly tighter and tighter once again. The unhinged feeling was wild and almost frightening, but Alex’s grip on her hips and her steady warmth above her was grounding. She had been afraid of this for so long, but with Alex… With Alex she could just let go.

“I love you,” she gasped as Alex thrust into her, and the Alpha moaned.

“I love you, Sam, oh Rao,” Alex moaned. “So close… Sam, I— I need to knot you.”

She could feel it, then, the swell of flesh pressing where they were joined. She gripped Alex’s shoulders.

“You’ll bite me?” she asked.

Alex nodded. “Yes. It’ll hurt.”

She didn’t care. She knew that it meant that they would be mated, and that was all that mattered.

“Do it,” she said. “Please, Alex, I want to be yours, I want to be your mate, just do it.”

Alex stared at her with wide eyes even as she continued to thrust into her. “I love you so much.”

Sam opened her mouth to reply but her words were stolen as Alex reached down between them and her fingertips found the nub of flesh that her lips had teased earlier. She circled it even as her hips bore down, pushing her knot against Sam’s entrance.

If Sam thought she was stretched before, this was even more. The bliss that spread from where Alex’s fingers circled echoed inside of her, to a spot that each thrust hit perfectly, and all that warred with the impossible stretch as Alex’s knot worked its way through her entrance. She cried out as Alex dropped her face to the side of her neck and bit down, teeth piercing flesh.

It was everything— pain, pleasure, torture, and bliss, all rolled into one shining moment that made Sam’s vision go white. The pain of Alex’s bite triggered some instinctual wave of pleasure that rushed through her nerve endings like wildfire, down to where they were joined, until her flesh parted and accepted Alex’s knot. The burn from her stretched flesh morphed into intense satisfaction as it triggered another orgasm even more intense than the one Alex had caused with her mouth. Her muscles quivered and clamped down on Alex’s hardness as the Alpha came inside her, flooding her with warmth that made her own bliss roll on and on, like a never-ending flood.

When finally Sam came back to her body, Alex was poised above her, panting, the muscles in her neck straining just inches away from Sam’s face. All Sam could think was _bite, bite, mark her, make her mine_ and so she did just that. Her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood and another quiver of bliss spread through her body as Alex flooded her once again.

“Mine,” Sam murmured against the bloodied skin and Alex pulled away, looking down at her with pride and love. She lowered her head and kissed Sam until the coppery tang was gone, replaced by the sweet flavor that was just her mate.

Alex rolled them until they were in a more comfortable position as her knot held them together. It was strange, but for once the fearful voices in Sam’s mind were quiet, perhaps sated by multiple orgasms, or just comforted by the steady sound of her mate’s breathing.

“My mate,” she said, testing the words in her mouth.

Alex grinned at her. “And you’re mine. My mate. My beautiful, strong, sexy mate.”

Sam flushed at being called _sexy_ , but somehow Alex made her believe it. The knot still tying them together certainly proved the Alpha’s opinion of her.

They drifted sleepily for several long minutes until Alex’s knot released and the Alpha rolled away. Sam immediately missed her mate’s warmth, but Alex coaxed her awake. She pulled her into the bathroom and insisted that the Omega relieve herself while she soaked a cloth in warm water. Then Sam stood blushing while Alex cleaned them both up. Finally the Alpha applied a thick salve and bandaged both of their mating bites before ushering her back to bed and tucking them both beneath the covers.

“You take such good care of me,” Sam commented with a yawn as Alex curved around her back.

“I always will,” Alex told her. “I promise.”

“Alex?” Sam said, and the Alpha hummed in reply. “I’m so glad it was you. I’m glad you’re my mate.”

“Me, too,” Alex replied, pressing a gentle kiss to the bandage on Sam’s shoulder. “I love you, Sam, my mate.”

Sam just smiled. “I love you, too.”

——

“Mom! Mom, look what I made!”

Sam looked up from her seat on the sofa as Ruby came barreling into the room, followed by Alex. Since they had announced their official mating over breakfast, she had spent most of the day with Lena, training and studying Kryptonese. Now she was finishing another module on the tablet.

Ruby hopped onto the sofa, cradling what looked like a sculpture in her hands. She held it toward Sam, who promptly took the figurine with a mixture of pride and confusion.

“Wow that’s… impressive,” she said, looking from the sculpture to Alex because quite frankly she couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be.

“It’s a Kryptonian _arphanx_ ,” Alex explained. “Kind of like a cow but with stripes and a short trunk for a nose.”

“Kryptonians raise them on Argo for meat,” Ruby continued. “We learned all about their habitat and how they’re cared for in school. And then we made these during craft time. I still have to paint it, but doesn’t it look cool?”

“It looks great, Rubes,” Sam assured her.

“Ela Var helped me,” Ruby told her. Ela was one of the older students on the ship, one of the first children born to a human and a Kryptonian. Her mother hadn’t been Collected, but rather was one of the early researchers who travelled to Argo from Earth. Ela’s sire was a Kryptonian doctor, like Alex, and now they worked together in the MedBay. She was closest in age to Ruby, so the two had bonded quickly.

“That was nice of her,” Sam said, looking up at Alex. “Maybe we should invite Ela and her parents for dinner, once we reach Argo. What do you think?”

“I think Sorya and Natalie would like that,” she replied. “I can ask them tomorrow.”

Ruby’s brow was drawn in thought as she looked from her sculpture to her parents. “Natalie is Ela’s mom, right?”

“Yes, of course,” Sam replied as Alex sat beside them.

“And Sorya is also Ela’s mom?” Ruby asked.

“Sorya is Ela’s sire,” Alex corrected. “She’s a Kryptonian Alpha. She cannot carry offspring, but she can have children with an Omega, or a human female who’s been turned into an Omega.”

Ruby nodded. “Like you’re an Alpha and Mom’s an Omega now, right?”

Alex nodded. “Exactly.”

“So… Ela calls Natalie _Mom_ but she calls Sorya something else,” Ruby continued, chewing at her lip.

“She calls her _Jeju_ ,” Alex replied. “It’s what Kryptonians call their female sires.”

“ _Jeju_ ,” Ruby said slowly, like she was testing the word on her lips. Alex smiled proudly at the Kryptonese word. “Does that mean you’re my Jeju, Alex?”

Alex’s smile faded and her eyes widened. She looked to Sam, but Sam was just as surprised by Ruby’s line of questioning as the Kryptonian. She knew that Alex loved Ruby and was committed to helping Sam raise her, but they had never discussed anything quite like this, so Sam wasn’t sure what Alex was comfortable with.

Ruby’s expression morphed into uncertainty and she shifted anxiously between them. It shifted Alex into action.

“Ruby,” she said slowly, her voice heavy with emotion, “you can call me whatever you want, it won’t bother me. If you want to call me Alex forever, that’s fine. But if you want to call me Jeju, I would be honored. I may not be your biological sire, but I swore to your mother the day they brought you on this ship that I would love you and protect you and nurture you as if you were my own blood. I love you, Ruby, as if you were my own daughter.”

“I love you, too, Alex,” Ruby told her, throwing her arms around the Kryptonian’s middle. “I want you to be my Jeju.”

“Oh, _inah_ ,” Alex sighed, hugging Ruby tight and burying her face in the girl’s hair as tears began falling down her cheeks.

“What does that mean?” Ruby asked, her own voice rough with emotion.

“It means _daughter_ ,” Sam said, remembering the word from her own studies. Alex reached for her, and she quickly fell into the hug, wrapping herself around Ruby’s smaller form and holding both her daughter and her mate.

“My family,” Alex whispered, her voice heavy with awe. “I love you both so much.”

“And we love you,” Sam told her, and she wondered, not for the first or last time, how she had managed to be so, so incredibly lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of Sam and Alex in the comments! I did my best to be respectful of Sam’s experience here. I know in real life, it can take a lot of therapy and support for victims of sexual abuse to ever be comfortable with intimacy, and I didn’t want to diminish that, but I also wanted to keep it fairly concise for storytelling purposes.
> 
> On a completely separate note, Sam doesn’t cuss in this AU. Do you KNOW how difficult it was for me to write smut without cursing?


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to your regularly scheduled Supercorp programming.

“I need to ask you for a favor.”

Lena looked up from her plate so quickly that her hair flew into her face. Sam was fidgeting across the table from them, and Lena knew what she was going to ask before the words ever left her mouth.

“Do you think you two could watch Ruby for the ni—?”

“Yes!” Lena exclaimed, a little too loudly, startling Kara and anyone sitting nearby. Alex and Ruby glanced over from where they were busy getting dessert, and Sam blushed.

“We’d be happy to watch Ruby anytime,” Kara added, looking between Lena and Sam curiously.

“Exactly,” Lena said with a grin, nodding so quickly that Kara moved her drink before her ponytail could knock it over. “If you guys need some alone time we can—“

“Oh… _Oh_!” Kara exclaimed, and her cheeks reddened as she finally realized exactly what she had agreed to. Lena couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her mate’s reaction. “Yeah, we can definitely, um, do that.”

“You can do what?” Alex asked as they returned to the table.

“We can keep Ruby overnight,” Lena said, looking between the two of them. “If she’s okay with that.”

“All night?” Ruby asked, looking to her mother for reassurance.

“It’ll be fun,” Kara interrupted. “I’ve still got the video games that Lena and my friend Winn converted, and we can watch another one of the Disney movies that Lena has been showing me.”

Ruby bit her lip. “Can we have popcorn?”

That sealed the deal.

By the time they picked up Ruby the following evening, Lena wasn’t sure who was more excited, Kara or Ruby. She gave Alex a knowing look that the Alpha pointedly ignored as the door closed, leaving her with one hyped up Kryptonian and one actual child. They made their way back to their quarters, and before she could even get a word in edgewise, Kara was leading Ruby toward the makeshift video game console in the living area.

“Hey!” Lena said, interrupting their fun. “Dinner first, then video games.”

Ruby frowned dejectedly but complied, hurrying to the kitchen to wash her hands and help Lena set out the plates that Kelex had already delivered. _Kara_ , on the other hand—

“Do not pout,” Lena ordered, poking the tip of the Alpha’s nose. “And don’t pretend you don’t love eating just as much as you love video games.”

“I mean… We could do both,” Kara argued.

“Nope, we eat at the table like civilized people, and then we play video games,” Lena told her. “Popcorn and snacks can be eaten on the sofa later.”

Kara continued to pout for a few moments before her expression softened into a slightly-goofy grin.

“What?” Lena asked as the Alpha pulled her into a tight hug.

“You’re gonna make an amazing mom someday,” Kara whispered, kissing her cheek.

Lena blushed. “Yeah, well, it’s clear who the disciplinarian will be in this relationship. Get your dinner, silly Alpha.”

Kara just grinned and followed her order. She sat beside Ruby at the table and helped her cut up a serving of meat.

It was a thought that was almost constantly on her mind anymore, _it_ being the prospect of motherhood with Kara. She had known ever since she came onto the Kryptonian ship nearly four months before that it was an almost inevitable outcome, but it had seemed like a faraway distant thing, something intangible and unreal. But since Nardo’s birth a week earlier, and even before that with Ruby’s arrival, the prospect had become very real in her mind.

Watching Kara with Ruby, it was easy to imagine the Kryptonian as a sire. She was curious about Ruby’s education on board, and how she was getting along with the other children. She told the girl stories about Argo, and a few stories about growing up with Alex that would definitely embarrass the other Alpha if she were present. Then they cleared the table, leaving the dishes in neat stacks that Kelex could easily collect, before heading over to the video game console. Kara was patient as she taught Ruby to use the controller, and Ruby listened intently as Kara explained the rules of the first game. Soon the two of them were intent on the screen in front of them, and all Lena could do was cheer the both of them on from her seat on the sofa.

“Ugh! I can’t believe you beat me again!” Kara exclaimed, throwing herself dramatically on the floor. She didn’t mention that the first time Ruby had won she had clearly let the girl win, but this time it was definitely all Ruby— and perhaps a bit of luck when it came to in-game obstacles. “The student has surpassed the teacher!”

Ruby giggled and looked back toward the sofa. “Auntie Lena, don’t you want to play?”

Lena shrugged. “I could play a round if one of you needs a break.”

“Here, you can have my controller,” Kara offered, holding it up in the air. She looked at Ruby. “But just so you know, she beats me every time.”

“I have more experience,” Lena explained as she sat on the floor beside the twelve-year-old and took the controller. “Let’s go.”

She briefly debated letting Ruby win, but as the game progressed she decided that it would be too obvious. The girl stayed neck-and-neck with her throughout the electronic race, sticking out her tongue and moving her entire body from side to side as if that might make the little car on the screen turn better. They had just rounded the last turn when Lena felt warmth behind her.

“Secret weapon!” Kara shouted right before she started tickling Lena’s ribs.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, dropping the controller as she tried to push Kara’s hands away. “That’s cheating!”

She wasn’t sure who was laughing more, as she gasped for air and tried to get Kara to stop, her or Kara or Ruby as she swept past her in the game and won.

“It’s not cheating if I didn’t know she was gonna do it,” Ruby argued.

“Well, let’s see how you like it!” Lena declared, tugging the girl down and tickling her ruthlessly.

“Ah! No!” Ruby exclaimed between giggles. “I surrender! I surrender!”

Lena chuckled as she relented. The three of them laid on the floor catching their breath for several long minutes, but of course the youngest one recovered first.

“So… Popcorn?” Ruby asked, raising her head up just far enough to look at the two of them.

Lena looked over at Kara who nodded in agreement.

“Okay, I’ll get the popcorn,” Lena volunteered.

“I’ll get the chocolate!” Kara declared, hopping up out of the floor.

“Chocolate?” Ruby asked.

“She likes to melt M&Ms on her popcorn,” Lena told her.

“Ew,” Ruby said, nose wrinkling.

Thirty minutes later, though, they were all dressed in their pajamas and huddled on the sofa and Ruby was also eating Kara’s candy-covered popcorn with gusto. Lena just shook her head at them and stuck with her regular salty popcorn. Ruby fell asleep with her head in Lena’s lap halfway through the live-action remake of _Aladdin_ , but Kara was watching wide-eyed, so Lena just stroked the girl’s hair as they finished. Then Kara helped her tuck Ruby into a makeshift bed on their sofa before they headed to their own bedroom.

“I wonder what Sam and Alex are doing right now?” Lena wondered aloud as she brushed through her hair.

“You mean you wonder if they’re doing _it_ right now,” Kara said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as she brushed her teeth beside Lena.

Lena shoved her shoulder. “Don’t be rude. I just… I hope I didn’t push them into something they’re not ready for, especially Sam.”

“I think they’re good for each other,” Kara told her.

“So do I, but with Sam’s background…”

“Have some faith in Alex, too,” Kara reminded her. “She loves Sam, that much is obvious. And she’s incredibly patient— case and point, the fact that we’re still as close as we are after all these years. She won’t push Sam to do anything she doesn’t want.”

“That’s just it, I think Sam wants it, I’m just not sure she’s ready,” Lena replied. “Trauma like that doesn’t just go away.”

“You’re right,” Kara said, rinsing her mouth. She wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist and sighed. “I think they’ll be alright, though.”

“Me too,” Lena replied, turning in Kara’s embrace and slipping her arms around the Alpha’s shoulders. “Now take me to bed, Captain.”

She squealed when her feet left the floor, only for Kara to hush her. Lena giggled as her mate carried her to the bed and dropped her onto the mattress, a wide grin on her face.

“I didn’t mean for you to carry me,” Lena said as Kara hopped onto the bed beside her.

“I know, I just wanted to make you laugh,” Kara said, bending to kiss her.

Lena sighed against Kara’s lips as they kissed and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her further onto the bed.

“Silly Alpha,” she said, reaching up and stroking her cheek. Kara turned and kissed her palm. “You’re good with her, with Ruby.”

“She’s a good pup— a good kid,” Kara corrected, and Lena grinned.

“Seeing you with Nardo and now seeing you with Ruby… You’re really doing a number on my ovaries,” Lena told her, and Kara’s eyes widened.

“You— I mean—“ she sputtered.

“Shh,” Lena said, pressing a finger to Kara’s full lips. “We don’t have to talk about it right now. Just know that whenever my heat does hit, I’m okay with whatever happens.”

“You mean it?”

Lena nodded. “I do.”

They hadn’t talked much about the future, about life on Argo. To Lena it was a fuzzy, fantastical thing, and yet with every passing day it drew closer. Whenever Kara brought it up, it was with a sunny kind of optimism about how much she wanted to introduce Lena to her culture and show her her world. But there was always a cloud hanging over these conversations. The reality of their return wouldn’t be as simple as either of them liked. Kara had broken procedures and important laws to have Lena Collected, and while Lena understood her reasons and had forgiven her, the Kryptonian Council was a different story entirely.

“What will happen when we get to Argo?” Lena asked, her voice low.

Kara’s fingers flexed against the sheets beneath her. “I’m not sure.”

Lena reached and and took Kara’s hand between her own, pulling it across the bed and holding it against her chest. “Surely there’s a procedure, though.”

“There is,” Kara said, frowning. “I haven’t committed a violent crime, and I’m high ranking, so I shouldn’t be arrested. The Council will issue a summons, instructing me when to appear before them. Then they will address my crimes and I will be able to offer my side of what happened. They will call witnesses— Astra, Russ, Alex, you. And then they will make a recommendation for my sentencing to the King.”

“The King… as in your cousin, the King?” Lena asked. “But surely he won’t—“

“It’s not that simple,” Kara interrupted. “I love Kal dearly, and he feels the same, but he has to balance that with politics. He can’t show blatant favoritism just because I’m his cousin. The balance of power on Argo is still very precarious. There are factions who want to overthrow the monarchy and the Council and start something new, and as flawed as the system is, some of those who want to take power would be much worse.”

Kara shook her head. “No, I can’t rely on Kal to get me out of this. I knew what I was doing and I made my choices and I don’t regret it because it saved you. Even if you had chosen to return to Earth, even if you weren’t here with me now, I would make the same choices.”

Lena looked down at the hand clasped between her own and traced the knuckles with her fingertips, memorizing each rise and fall, every vein and crease. Finally she squeezed almost painfully hard and looked back up.

“I won’t let them take you from me,” she said vehemently.

Kara pulled her close just as the tears began to flow. Lena’s emotions had been high ever since Nardo’s birth, so it really didn’t surprise her.

“I won’t let them separate us,” Kara told her. “Whatever happens… You’re mine, my mate. It’s a sacred bond, and they can’t break it.”

“And it was my choice,” Lena added. “I know we can’t tell them the details, but they have to know that it’s my choice to be with you.”

“You’ll tell them,” Kara murmured. “You and everyone else. They’ll see reason.”

“Do you really believe that?” Lena asked.

Kara smiled bitterly. “Speaking it into existence, remember?”

Lena just buried her face into Kara’s neck, breathing in her rich, spicy scent, and hoped that she was right.

——

The next morning Lena was awakened by a soft knocking.

“Auntie Lena? Aunt Kara? I need to use the bathroom!”

“Oops,” Kara said, quickly getting out of bed. “Coming, Ruby!”

Ruby hurried into their bathroom to relieve herself and Lena couldn’t help but chuckle as she buried her face into the pillow. They all shuffled around each other to get cleaned up and dressed for the day, and were only slightly late for breakfast. When they entered the dining hall, Ruby looked around eagerly.

“They’re not here yet,” she said, her voice thick with concern.

“Maybe they decided to sleep in a little, since you were with us,” Lena supplied. “They’ll probably be here by the time we get our plates.”

“They might want to stay in bed for a different reason,” Kara whispered with a salacious wink and Lena shoved her with her hips.

Lena had been correct in her assumption. They had barely sat down at their table when Sam and Alex entered the dining hall. As they made their way toward the group, Lena couldn’t help but zero in on the barely-exposed skin of their necks.

“Mom!” Ruby exclaimed, jumping up and hurrying to them. She wrapped her arms around Sam’s waist and squeezed tightly, and Sam squeezed back.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Sam said, running her hands through Ruby’s hair. “How was your first sleepover?”

“Awesome!” Ruby replied. “We played _Mario Kart_ and watched _Aladdin_ , but I kinda fell asleep. And Aunt Kara eats M&Ms on her popcorn! It’s so good!”

“I guess that explains why you’re so hyper this morning,” Sam laughed.

Ruby peeled herself away from Sam to grab Alex in an equally-enthusiastic hug, and Lena took that moment to stand and pull Sam into her own embrace.

“I take it your sleepover went well, too, if that bandage on your neck is any indication,” she said with a grin. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m great, actually,” Sam said with a blush. “You were right. It wasn’t all smooth but it was good, so good, Lena.”

Lena giggled. “See, I told you.”

Kara stood and pulled Sam into an equally-crushing hug, and Alex growled possessively.

“Hey, you hugged my mate the morning after we mated,” Kara told her. “Fair’s fair.”

“Yeah, well, now I see why you didn’t like it,” Alex growled, pulling Sam close and releasing her own scent. It was pleasant to Lena, but nowhere near as appealing as Kara’s.

“You mated?” Ruby asked, and Lena’s eyes grew as she wondered exactly how much Ruby knew about relations between mates. “Does that mean you’re, like, married now?”

“Basically,” Sam replied.

“So are you gonna have a wedding?” Ruby continued.

“No,” Sam answered quickly, and Alex chuckled.

“No, not all Kryptonians have weddings,” Alex replied. She tugged her collar aside. “You see this? Your mom bit me, and I bit her. That’s what Kryptonians do when they find a mate. They bite each other, and it binds them together for life. It’s even stronger than a human marriage, because there’s no divorce. Your mom and I love each other very much, and we’re going to be a family.”

“I thought we already were?” Ruby said.

Alex tugged Ruby into her arms. “We were. But now it’s really official, and everybody will know it.”

The entire table was abuzz with congratulations as Sam and Alex got their plates and took their seats. Several of the crew members who worked with Alex in the MedBay stopped by the table to offer their own congratulations as well. As the meal wound down and they all began clearing their plates so they could go to their daily duties, James stood and cleared his throat.

“We don’t want to pull away from Sam and Alex’s happy news, but I’m not sure we can hold it in much longer,” he said, looking down at Lucy, who was practically glowing.

“I’m pregnant!” the Omega announced.

Lena squealed— actually squealed— with excitement, and the table once again exploded with happy congratulations. Lucy and James laughed and smiled with elation, but Lena could see the hint of relief in their expressions. They had wanted this for a long while, and Lena’s heart swelled with joy for them.

She looked around at the table. Andrea was cradling baby Nardo, and Russ had his arm wrapped comfortably over her shoulders. Sam sat tucked comfortably between her mate and her daughter. James beamed down at Lucy, if possible even more enamored with his mate now that she was pregnant. And beside her Kara was laughing, but Lena wasn’t sure if it was because of something one of their friends had said or just from sheer joy of the moment.

It was perfect.

Suddenly a loud beep pierced the air, and everyone froze in their seats. A robotic voice crackled over the intercom speaker.

“You have now entered Sector 2813 and the Xeno Galaxy,” the voice announced. “Arrival on Argo estimated in twenty-six hours and seventeen minutes.”

The entire dining hall broke out into cheers. Russ looked around the table with a wide smile. “We’re almost home!”

Lena looked at Kara, and the Alpha’s smile was bittersweet. She reached for Lena’s hand and squeezed tightly.

“Do you remember when I told you my family’s motto?” she asked, her voice soft below the celebrations around them.

“ _El Mayarah_ ,” Lena said, and Kara nodded.

“Stronger together,” Kara said.

“Stronger together,” Lena agreed, squeezing her hand in return.

The panels on the wall of the dining hall shimmered and suddenly the view from outside the ship was visible. A golden sun, its light slightly paler than the light on Earth, cast a pale glow throughout the room, and in the distance a planet of swirling green and brown and grayish-blue approached. It wasn’t quite as vibrant as Earth, at least from this vantage point.

“Welcome to my home, Lena,” Kara murmured. “Welcome to Argo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have reached the end of the Second Arc.
> 
> Next up: Argo, and the angst everybody has been waiting for and dreading (including me).


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Argo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have made it to the third arc: Argo!
> 
> It’s a wild ride so please remember to keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and, in case of an emergency, place your head between your knees and kiss your bum goodbye.
> 
> (Seriously I am losing my mind, but I hope you all enjoy this chapter in spite of my craziness)

Lena hadn’t felt sunlight on her skin in over 100 days. The lights on the Kryptonian ship mimicked the sun, the day/night cycles, and all its benefits, but they were still artificial. Nothing quite replaced the real warmth of actual sunlight.

The sun on Argo was different from the sun on Earth— a darker shade of gold in the sky, and larger in appearance. The atmosphere on Argo paled the light somehow, casting the sky as a pale gray instead of soft blue. It altered the colors slightly, muting some while brightening others. The dark blue of Kara’s uniform seemed even more blue, but the red trim was darker, almost blood red. The gold thread of the sigil on her shoulder practically glowed in the strange light, and the way the light bounced off the flaxen waves of her hair made her look like an angel.

Even as she was dragged away.

“Hey, Luthor, mealtime.”

Lena looked up from her cot to see a familiar face at the door. Apparently Ava Sharpe’s duty to oversee the prisoners from the ship extended to overseeing them on Argo. Ava opened a slot in the door and slipped in a bowl of some sort of stew. Lena stood up from the cot and shook the stiffness from her limbs before crossing the small space to retrieve the bowl.

“Thank you,” she said. “Have you heard anything about Kara?”

Ava shook her head. “As far as I know she’s in the Council’s holding cells in Argo City.”

“And what about the trials?” Lena asked.

“They’ve been calling people to give their accounts on everything that happened on board the ship,” she replied with a sigh. “And I mean everything. Your Collection, Ty Vel’s attack on you and his assault on the Captain, Sam Arias’s Collection, the Collected women revolting, aiding the Daxamites… It was an eventful journey.”

“It sounds like they’re gathering info for every individual trial before proceeding,” Lena surmised.

“Yes,” Ava agreed. “Or just one.”

Lena’s stomach turned at Ava’s words. “It doesn’t normally happen like this, does it?”

“No,” Ava replied gravely. “It doesn’t.”

Lena tried to push the thoughts down. “How’s Sara holding up?”

She knew that Sara and the other Collected women who had taken part in the failed escape attempt were also being held in cells like hers. They couldn’t see each other, but Lena knew they were there.

Ava sighed in frustration. “She’s being her usual self.”

Lena couldn’t help but grin. “I guess that’s a good thing.”

“I’m not so sure,” Ava replied. “The Council won’t take well to her… em…”

“Being a smart ass?” Lena supplied.

“Yes, exactly,” Ava agreed. “And I fear that unless she shows more acceptance to her place here on Argo, they might declare her a danger to their tenuous control.”

“Surely they’ve dealt with similar cases before. I know she’s not the first Collected woman to try to escape, and she’s definitely not the first to resent being Collected in the first place.”

“No,” Ava said. “But she’s the most dangerous. Her training is unparalleled. Not only that, she has a natural charisma. It’s one of the things I love about her, but the Council will see it as a threat.”

Lena couldn’t help but perk up at the Alpha’s use of the L-word, but before she could comment, another guard moved along the hall. Ava looked between the man and Lena.

“I have to continue my rotation,” she said. “Eat up, it’s terrible when it’s cold.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not exactly delicious when it’s hot,” Lena said with a shrug, but she took the bowl back to her cot.

As far as prisons went, she supposed the cells on Argo were fairly nice— the cots and the linens were soft, the floor and walls were clean and unblemished, the toilet was functional and clean. But there were no windows. Argo’s strange sun didn’t reach here, nor did artificial sunlight like those on the ship. Instead the cells were lit with white light that washed the room of color both day and night and made it impossible to get any satisfying rest no matter how exhausted Lena felt. It affected her circadian rhythms and thus her ability to tell how much time had passed. Based on her meal schedule and what Ava told her, two days had passed since they arrived on Argo.

——

They landed on Argo in the middle of a grassy field— an odd place to land, Lena thought, but Kara had explained that it was much less-threatening to the Collected women than landing on a sterile platform inside the city. From where they landed she could see the walled city of Kandor in one direction, and in the other a much larger city of tall, gleaming buildings that shone like crystals in the sunlight. This was Argo City, their capital, home to King Kal El and the High Council of Argo, and also Kara’s home.

Disembarking the ship was a much more organic experience than boarding. Instead of using the transmatter portals, the lowest levels of the ship opened up to massive ramps that they could simply walk down and onto the planet’s surface below. It was a choreographed process, organized and performed multiple times over the last decade. Half of the ship’s crew would disembark, followed by the Collected humans, and then the other half of the crew would exit the ship. The Captain was the last one off. It was tradition, Kara told her, the final duty of a Captain, to see that all of their crew was safely back home.

It had nothing to do with wanting to hold Lena for just a little while longer, though, the way her arms clung to Lena’s body as the last of the green- and gray-uniformed crew disappeared down the ramp made Lena question Kara’s true motives. James was the last one to pass, and he paused beside them.

“The ship is clear, Captain,” he informed them, his voice stiff. Lena could see the concern etched in his features even as he looked at them.

“Thank you,” Kara replied. “We will be down in a moment.”

James nodded and turned, leaving them alone on the massive spaceship.

“We should go down,” Kara murmured into her hair after a moment, and Lena nodded, but neither of them moved to release the other from their embrace. If anything Lena snuggled further against Kara’s chest and Kara’s arms tightened almost painfully around her shoulders. Finally the Alpha sighed and pulled back slightly. “Come on, _i zhao_ , I want to show you my home.”

“Okay,” Lena replied, but her arms remained around Kara’s waist.

Kara smiled, a bittersweet expression, and bent to give Lena a soft, warm kiss. “It’ll be alright. I promise.”

Lena almost believed her.

They made their way down the ramp hand-in-hand, and Lena could feel eyes on them. The crew was still gathered around the ship, standing in the field of rich green grass, but there were others as well, people Lena didn’t recognize, many dressed in what she knew to be traditional Kryptonian garb, and some dressed in white and gold uniforms not unlike the ones the ship’s crew wore, and all of their uniforms were marked with the House of El sigil in the center of their chests.

As soon as Lena’s feet touched alien soil, the uniformed Kryptonians stepped forward.

“Lady Kara of House El,” one of them called. “By order of King Kal El and the High Council of Argo, you are charged with breaking the Laws of Collection.”

“I understand these charges and submit myself to trial by the Council,” Kara replied formally.

“Until your date of judgment, you are hereby placed under arrest for your crimes,” the officer continued. “You will await trial in Argo City’s holding cells.”

Kara’s hand tightened on Lena’s. “Surely I misunderstand you, officer.”

“I assure you, Captain, you do not,” he said. “Take her.”

Two guards hurried forward and yanked Kara out of Lena’s grasp. She looked around in shock as one put manacles on her wrists.

“Kara?” Lena questioned.

“It’s alright,” Kara said, her voice gruff. “It’s alright, Lena, I’ll be alright. Just stay with Alex, she’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Lena nodded and Kara regained her composure. She didn’t protest, and Lena wasn’t surprised by that; Kara had resigned herself to Argo’s justice even before she had committed her crimes. She was the picture of dignity as they led her away.

“Lena Luthor,” another officer said, and Lena reluctantly looked away from Kara’s retreating form. “By order of King Kal El and the High Council of Argo, you are charged with treason. Until your date of judgement, you are hereby placed under arrest for your crimes. You will await trial in the Kandor holding cells.”

“What?” Lena gasped, but one of the officers grabbed her wrists and locked cuffs around them. Lena looked around and saw that several more officers had gathered a group of Collected women and arrested them as well— the women who had tried to escape. “But… What?”

“Move!” One of the officers shoved between her shoulder blades hard enough to knock the wind out of her, and Lena cried out.

And that was when Kara lost it.

Lena hadn’t seen Kara like this since Ty Vel had assaulted her. Even with her hands bound, she managed to knock the three Kryptonians escorting her aside. The roar that ripped from her throat as she charged toward Lena sent a chill down Lena’s spine. More guards rushed toward her, but Kara’s eyes were bright with fury as she barreled into them, her raw strength and disciplined fighting skills clear as she dodged their hands and shoved and kicked her way through them. Only when one brought out a weapon— what looked like a cattle prod— did she even pause, but once they removed the shock the Alpha was back on her feet.

“Tell her to stop,” an officer said into Lena’s ear. Lena looked at her with wide eyes. The female Alpha was tall and slim, with short cropped hair and dark eyes. “Tell her to stop or she’ll never give in, she’ll just keep hurting her own people to get to you.”

Lena looked from the officer to Kara and back again before nodding. “Kara! Kara stop!”

Kara’s eyes widened as another guard brought another prod down to her. She stiffened at the impact and fell to her knees. This time, when the guard pulled the prod back, she stayed down.

“It’s alright, Kara,” Lena said, repeating the Alpha’s words back to her. “I’ll be alright.”

Kara looked between Lena and the officer who stood beside her with wide eyes and then her features hardened. “Take care of her, Kate.”

“I will,” the officer agreed.

——

“Luthor!”

Lena jolted back to consciousness. Her mind slowly came together in the bright white of her cell, and she groaned in frustration.

A harsh knock startled her again, and she looked toward the door of her cell. A tall Alpha guard stood so close to the door that his nose practically touched the glass, and his dark eyes were fixed on her.

“Yes?” Lena said, but the man didn’t respond. After a moment she added, “Can I help you?”

“My father’s name was Ren Lock,” he said. “He worked in one of the Collection facilities that your brother destroyed.”

Lena cringed. “I’m… I’m sorry for your loss.”

The man struck the door with his fists and the boom echoed through the chamber.

“You think you’re sorry?” he exclaimed. “Oh, no, you’re not sorry now, but you will be. You will pay for your brother’s crimes, Lena Luthor! Mark my words, I—“

“Ben Lock!”

The Alpha turned with a snarl, only to meet a fierce punch to the face. He stumbled back, away from Lena’s cell. The guard who had arrested Lena— the one named Kate— stepped forward and dropped her fist to her side.

“You were not assigned this rotation,” she said, her voice low. “Leave, now, and I will only report you to your superiors.”

“And if I don’t?” Ben growled.

“Then I will escort you there myself,” Kate said, her voice soft but full of barely-restrained fury.

Ben turned his flashing eyes back toward Lena’s cell and pointed aggressively. “This isn’t over, Luthor.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Kate huffed. “Get out of here!”

The Alpha stomped away angrily and Lena breathed a sigh of relief. Kate just snorted at his retreating form and cursed in Kryptonese.

“What did you just call him?” Lena asked.

Kate turned her head abruptly. “Oh, um…”

“Did you seriously just call him a _wrinkly dick_?” Lena asked, trying and failing to repress her laughter.

“It’s… Yes,” Kate sighed. “Not my most mature moment.”

Lena burst into full belly laughs at the admission. God, she had forgotten how good it felt to just laugh. It filled her up until it was overwhelming, and suddenly she was crying.

“Hey!” Kate exclaimed, pressing her palm against the door so that it slid open. She stepped into Lena’s cell and sat her down on her cot. “It’s okay, just breathe.”

“I’m sorry,” Lena muttered between sobs. “I’m just… Damn it, why does it have to be so unbearably bright in here?”

“It’s supposed to be unbearable,” Kate said with an apologetic shrug.

Lena sniffled. “I’m sorry. You have a job to do that doesn’t involve taking care of a sniveling Omega.”

“It’s fine. I promised Kara that I would take care of you, so I will,” Kate assured her.

Lena’s eyes narrowed on the Alpha at that. “I remember. You two know each other.”

Kate nodded. “We’ve known each other for years. I’m Kate Kane, by the way.”

“Lena Luthor, of course, you know that already,” Lena replied. “How do you know Kara? Don’t tell me you grew up together in the orphanage.”

“No, I wasn’t an orphan,” Kate said, but her tone was bitter and her lips twisted at the words. “My father is head of House Kane. He’s also a member of the Council. I’m supposed to follow in his footsteps, but instead I wanted to become a soldier like my cousin— you may have heard of him, he captains one of the Collection vessels, Bruce Wayne.”

Lena barked out a laugh. “Yeah, we met once… There were extenuating circumstances.”

“I’m sure.” Kate grinned. “Anyway, I joined the Royal Guard, but the thing is, nobody wanted a Council member’s daughter as their protector, it would be seen as an insult to Jacob Kane, and nobody was brave enough to piss off my sire. Nobody, that is, except Kara.”

“So you were Kara’s bodyguard?” Lena clarified.

“Not that she needs one, but yeah,” Kate said proudly. “And we became friends. Kara’s a good person, so imagine my surprise when I hear that she’s been arrested for breaking Collection Laws.”

Lena sighed. “There were extenuating circumstances.”

“Yeah, I gathered that,” Kate said. “So I went to General Astra and found out what was going on, and then I made sure that I was assigned to be there when you two were arrested. I was going to request being put on Kara’s guard detail, but then she asked me to look after you, so here I am.”

“Well, thank you,” Lena replied.

“No problem,” Kate replied. “Besides, it gives me a chance to get to know some of the more, um, _rebellious_ human women before anyone else.”

Lena burst into laughter again. “Okay, down Alpha. Some of these women are my friends.”

“Really?” Kate said, raising her brow curiously. “In that case, um… What do you know about Sophie?”

“Oh my God…”

——

“What’s all this?”

Lena emerged from the bathroom to find their quarters lit up with a soft red light. A small box sat near the foot of the bed, projecting star patterns onto the ceiling and walls, and in the distance a glowing red sun.

“I kind of borrowed it from the Worship Chamber,” Kara replied from where she was standing beside the bed. She had changed from her uniform into her loose silky pajamas.

“Are you allowed to do that?” Lena asked.

“I’m the Captain,” Kara said with a shrug, and her nonchalance use of her position turned Lena on more than she cared to admit. “I can’t light candles on board the ship, but I thought this was even better. It’s the closest I could get to making love to you beneath Rao’s light.”

Lena’s smile was bittersweet as Kara pulled her into her embrace and kissed her softly.

“Plus, it’s our last night on the ship,” Kara told her when she finally pulled away. “I want to make it special.”

Lena gasped as Kara bent and sucked at the mating mark on her neck— not biting, but sucking hard enough that Lena’s knees almost gave out beneath her. Then her hands went to Lena’s nightgown and she began slowly rucking it up her body.

“If I had known you had this in store, I wouldn’t have gotten dressed at all,” Lena huffed as her hips rubbed against Kara’s half-hard arousal through her pants.

“I like undressing you.” Kara pulled the fabric up and Lena raised her hands to aid her in removing it. “It’s like opening a Christmas present.”

“But Kryptonians don’t celebrate Christmas,” Lena pointed out as Kara stood back and gazed at her. She was still in her underwear— a thin, lacy pair that barely hid anything because while she hadn’t expected the romantic setting she had certainly anticipated Kara undressing her at some point tonight— and Kara looked at her like she wanted to memorize every curve, every shadow as it fell against her skin.

“Rao, you’re so beautiful,” Kara growled, and Lena could see her cock rising beneath her pants. With every breath a soft rumbling purr filled the room.

“Your turn,” Lena said, stepping forward, but Kara stopped her and held her at arms’ length.

“Not yet.” Kara bent and kissed her again, dipping her tongue deep into the cavern of Lena’s mouth in a way that promised even more. “I want to do this slowly.”

She kissed her way down Lena’s neck, each kiss barely more than a whisper of lips and tongue against skin. When she dragged her tongue over first one and then the other pebbled nipple, Lena grabbed at her shoulders and squeezed as she cried out into the red-lit room. Finally Kara knelt in front of her and kissed just above the thin lace of Lena’s panties.

“I can smell you,” Kara rasped, and with anyone else Lena might’ve been embarrassed by the declaration, but with Kara it just made her arousal flow even more unabashedly. “Spread your legs.”

Lena eagerly did as she was told, shivering as the cool air from the room hit the wet spot between her legs. The panties she had chosen were obviously ruined, and Lena found she didn’t care at all. Kara lowered her head and ran her nose along the edge of Lena’s panties, then pressed a kiss to her lace-covered mound before moving lower. She nosed at the seam between Lena’s legs and Lena’s hips bucked automatically. She reached up and expertly caught her curved hips between big, warm hands, and looked up with a grin.

“Close your eyes.”

Lena did as she was told, closing out the red light with a nervous smile. She could practically feel Kara’s beaming smile as she pressed another kiss to Lena’s stomach and then pushed down her panties. Lena gingerly kicked them aside, then stood bare in front of her mate.

She expected Kara’s touch, her lips or fingers, but for a long moment it didn’t come. Instead the cool air circled around her, making goosebumps rise on her skin. Still, Lena could hear Kara’s soft purring as she stepped away, followed by the soft sound of fabric hitting the floor as the Alpha removed her clothes. Then Lena could hear the purring grow slightly louder as Kara approached her again, could feel the heat radiating off the Alpha’s body. The urge to open her eyes and take in the glorious form of her mate was so tempting, but Lena clenched them shut for fear that Kara might stop if she didn’t.

Fingertips ghosted up the side of her calf, then around to the inside of her thigh. With every rumbling purr Lena could feel Kara’s breath on her, the small puffs of air ticklish against the rough curls of her sex. She squeezed her hands into fists at her sides until her short fingernails dug into her palms, waiting for Kara to make contact. After several long moments of nothing, she finally gave in and looked down to see what the holdup was.

Green eyes met sparkling blue and Kara smiled mischievously up at her before she ran her tongue determinedly through Lena’s cunt.

Kara’s touch went from nothing to everything in less than three seconds. She licked and sucked with a dogged determination until Lena was rendered a quivering, jerking mess above her. A sheen of sweat quickly broke out over Lena’s body and her hips gyrated, trying to get more purchase against Kara’s lips and tongue.

“Please, Kara,” she groaned, reaching down and squeezing the Alpha’s shoulders.

Kara sucked hard at Lena’s clit and the Omega could only cry out in ecstasy and warning as her knees gave out completely. Kara caught her easily, wrapping Lena’s legs around her shoulders and holding her up by the curve of her ass. She turned quickly until Lena could lean against the edge of the bed for support, then dove in with fervor. Lena reached down and gripped the sheets hard with one hand, and buried the other in Kara’s blonde curls.

“Please don’t stop, oh god, yes, right there, oh god Kara, yes, _yes_!” Lena cried out as the pressure in her body built and built until finally, gloriously releasing in waves as her orgasm swept over her.

When she finally came back to herself, she was lying fully on the bed, and Kara was spread out beside her. Long golden fingers traced idly over her shuddering collarbone and a self-satisfied smirk played on glistening pink lips.

“You didn’t keep your eyes closed,” Kara commented, but she didn’t sound displeased. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Lena drew in a shaky breath. “You knew I would look.”

Kara grinned. “Yes. You’re not exactly patient.”

Lena wanted to argue that, but her thoughts were stolen from her when Kara moved suddenly to suck a heaving breast into her mouth. She sucked and nipped at the pale flesh until all Lena could manage was to moan.

“I want to kiss every inch of you,” Kara murmured with promise before she sucked Lena’s nipple into her mouth.

Lena’s body was still swirling with pleasure from her first orgasm, so for several long minutes all she could do was lie there bonelessly as Kara had her way with her, kissing and licking along every inch of her torso. Only when she moved into position between Lena’s spread legs once again could Lena find her voice again.

“No.”

Kara looked up with wide eyes and Lena swallowed hard.

“No?” Kara asked, voice uncertain.

“I want you inside me,” Lena told her. “Need you… Please.”

It was the _please_ that did it, Lena knew. That word did powerful things to her mate. It never made Lena feel like less for begging, but instead gave her a rush of power that such a simple request could make such a strong Alpha bend to her will.

Kara groaned and kissed the soft skin of Lena’s belly before crawling up and over Lena’s body. She was the picture of perfection, a copper-tinted goddess in the red sunlight. Her muscles strained as she moved to hold herself up by her arms and settled above Lena until their hips were fit together and her hard cock fit against the wet flesh of Lena’s center.

“Say it again,” Kara ordered as she maneuvered, sliding the head through Lena’s slick.

“Please— _Ah_!” Lena cried out as Kara entered her in one smooth motion. Her body felt raw from Kara’s enthusiastic tongue before, so she felt every single inch of her as she slid to a wet stop deep inside. Kara’s muscles flexed as she adjusted, finding the perfect angle before bending to give Lena a slow kiss just as her hips began moving.

The pace was maddeningly slow as Kara eased out until only the head of her cock remained inside before easing back in just as gently, and yet every stroke was perfectly aimed to hit all of Lena’s hot spots. With every thrust the head hit Lena’s g-spot with unerring accuracy, and then Kara would flex her hips so that her pubic bone would grind against Lena’s clit. All Lena could do was groan and gasp at each sensation as Kara kept up her slow but steady rhythm.

Lena lost track of time as Kara continued her leisurely assault on her senses. Just when Lena thought she might beg Kara to speed up, the Alpha would nip at her mating mark or suck her breasts between her teeth. Then she switched their positions, turning Lena only her side and entering her, sending waves of pleasure through nerves Lena hadn’t even realized she had before. Then she flipped Lena onto her stomach, thrusting even deeper than before, as her thumb pressed gently at the rosebud of Lena’s ass, never inside, only teasing and sending jolts of pleasure through her body. It was slow and controlled and it was the best torture Lena had ever experienced.

Finally Kara flipped her onto her back again, and Lena could see the sweat beading on her skin as she sat up and pulled Lena onto her lap.

“Do you remember the night we mated?” Kara asked as she pulled Lena into her lap and Lena lowered her raw flesh onto Kara’s hard member yet again. Kara’s hips thrust up even as Lena’s began an instinctual roll, grinding together. Her muscles ached and her flesh burned but it hurt so good and Lena knew that when they finally reached climax it was going to be something amazing, so she pushed on.

“I was watching,” Kara murmured into her ear as she rocked up into Lena’s body. “I was watching for you to take a pod back to Earth, and praying that Rao would protect you. And then… And then you were here.”

“Kara,” Lena gasped as she felt the bulge of Kara’s knot beginning to form at the base of her cock, stretching her.

“I love you so much,” Kara groaned, and then the Alpha’s control broke. She gripped Lena’s hips with a bruising force and thrust hard up into her body, grinding and urging her knot past the ring of tight wet flesh. Lena cried out and pushed down with equal force. She wanted, _needed_ Kara’s knot, needed to feel their bodies tied together as one flesh once again, needed to hold part of the Alpha inside of her for as long as she could. Each thrust pushed Lena closer and closer toward the pinnacle they had been striving for, for minutes or hours she didn’t know.

Kara’s knot slid inside with a wet pop and Lena cried out with the glory of it. Her body clenched down on the welcome intrusion as pleasure like fire ripped through her veins from where they were joined out to her curling toes and grasping fingers. Below her Kara roared into her neck and shuddered as her release ripped from her and poured into Lena’s body with warm, thick spurts. Lena gasped as she felt it, and it only made her own orgasm go on and on as her pussy milked Kara’s cock for all it was worth.

Her body went lax as Kara lowered her to the mattress. The Alpha’s weight was comforting atop her, along with the warm weight of her cum and the pressure of her knot inside. Lena clung to Kara’s shoulders as cold air hit her damp cheeks, and she wasn’t sure if it was sweat or tears, but she also knew that it didn’t matter.

“I love you, Kara.”

——

“Lena? Lena, wake up!”

Lena groaned at the bright light and buried her head in her pillow. She didn’t want to wake up, didn’t want to leave the dream she had been having— it was _such_ a good dream, no, no, _memory_. Why would she want to wake up?

“Lena, your trial’s today.”

Lena’s eyes flew open as the words and the voice finally registered in her mind. She sat up in bed quickly.

“Lucy?”

“Yeah,” the Omega said with a soft smile. “I hate to wake you up. It seemed like you were having a, uh, _really_ good dream.”

Lena chose to ignore her teasing. “Did you say my trial is today?”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here,” Lucy said. “Look, I can’t stay long, but I just wanted to warn you that things are a lot more delicate than we thought.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked, her mind waking up fully and whirling with possibility. “This isn’t how things normally go, is it?”

Lucy shook her head. “No, it isn’t. Listen, I can’t really explain everything that’s going on, but the Council is going to do everything in their power to make you look bad. You’re not just going to be on trial for what you did on the ship, you’re also going to be on trial as Kara’s mate. They’re going to use what you did and who you are as a way to undermine Kara in her trial next week, no matter what they decided to do with you.”

“But why?” Lena stared at her with wide eyes. “Why would that even matter?”

Lucy sighed. “Because the queen is pregnant, that’s why.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me comments because I would LOVE to know what you all are thinking about all the little twists and turns in this chapter, and the new characters I added, and the, um, flashback/dream smut. Told you it was a wild ride.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena’s trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Key players on Argo are introduced, we learn more about Argo, lots of stuff happens in a very short amount of time

Lena followed behind Kate as they left the holding cells in Kandor and loaded a transport to take them to the Capitol building in Argo City. Kate took point and three other guards boarded, surrounding Lena on the platform. Lena personally thought it was overkill, a single unarmed Omega surrounded by four Kryptonian Alphas, but she kept her mouth shut. One guard stepped up to the transport’s controls and then, at Kate’s signal, he engaged the motors. A force field arched over them with a buzz and then the platform beneath them floated up into the air before taking off toward the city.

Lena quickly found herself wishing for the motion-sickness magnets she had worn during their flight through space.

She had read about Argo City in the modules she had studied on the tablet, but seeing it in real life was fascinating. The city was a perfect circle, with streets forming consecutive rings outward from the city’s center. The structures in the outer rings— mostly homes for the city’s residents— were made of stone, wood and other natural materials harvested from the planet. But as they drew nearer to the center of the city, the materials changed. The buildings here housed the centers of the important Guilds that had come from Krypton— Military, Science, Art, Religion, and Labor— and they were made of crystal. The Kryptonians had brought terraforming crystals from their home planet when they came to Argo and used them to form the center of their society while they rebuilt the rest from the resources available. The Capitol, where the Council held their meetings and trials, the royal palace, and the Guild centers were all towering structures of shining crystal in the city’s center.

That was where they were headed. Their transport vessel flew higher than any other, a clear sign that they were on official government business, over the tops of houses on the outermost rings and between crystalline spires as they drew closer to their destination. It finally came to a stop, hovering beside the building that Lena knew to be the second-tallest but largest in diameter in the city. Below them, a raucous crowd was gathered near the entrance of the building.

“Shit, I thought nobody was supposed to know that her trial was today,” Kate huffed.

“Looks like somebody didn’t keep the secret,” another guard remarked.

The driver of the transport picked up what appeared to be a radio, and when he spoke into it his voice was amplified. “Please move away from the landing zone.”

The crowd below them parted as the transport vessel began descending, landing as close to the building’s doors as safely possible. For a long moment, the force field didn’t recede, just long enough for Lena to realize why the crowd was gathered.

“Kill the Luthor scum!”

“Punish her!”

“You okay there?” Kate asked, drawing Lena’s attention back to her. “You look a little green.”

“Why are they doing this?” Lena asked.

Kate sighed. “Most of them had loved ones who were killed when your brother attacked the Collection facilities. They believe you should be punished for his actions.”

Lena swallowed hard. “I didn’t know what he was doing.”

“I know,” Kate said. “But remember, a lot of Kryptonians believe that when one member of a house commits a crime, the entire House is guilty.”

“Right,” Lena nodded. “Like Kara and her father.”

“Exactly.” Kate stiffened, looking around at the mob outside the force field, then at the other guards. “Arak, Tula, Mace?”

“Stay between us,” instructed Arak, who had been piloting the transport, and for the first time Lena realized that her guards weren’t there to keep her from escaping, but rather were there to keep her safe.

“Stay close,” Kate agreed. They quickly surrounded Lena as the force field went down with a soft hiss.

The crowd around them was loud, but it was nothing Lena hadn’t experienced on Earth. She stiffened her spine, grateful that Lucy had brought her clothes so reminiscent of the power suits she had worn on Earth, and walked quickly between the four guards that squared up around her. Behind her, she could hear the sound of Kryptonians spitting on the ground she had walked on, but those gathered at least seemed respectful of the guards that surrounded her.

At least, until they made it to the doors.

A lone figure, dressed in a uniform that matched Lena’s guards, stood in front of the huge double doors that led inside the Capitol. Lena recognized him immediately.

“Stand aside, Ben Lock,” Kate ordered. “We have orders to bring Miss Luthor before the Council.”

The Kryptonian snorted, his dark eyes angry. “You think the Council will actually bring justice?”

“That is their duty,” Kate said simply.

“They don’t follow the old ways,” Ben hissed. “If they did, the House of El wouldn’t still have the throne. That entire house should’ve been ripped out, root and stem, and we should’ve done the same to the Luthors, even if they are human.”

“You speak of treason!” Arak exclaimed.

“Treason would mean betraying my planet. I’m merely protecting it.” Ben Lock pulled what looked like a baton from his belt, but a moment later the end crackled with electricity and Lena recognized the weapon as the same one they had used to incapacitate and arrest Kara. Around them the crowd grew more aggressive, as Ben’s actions inflamed them.

“Damn it,” Kate muttered. She reached up to her ear and engaged a communication device. “Move in. And somebody arrest Ben Lock.”

Suddenly more guards in golden uniforms appeared from around the buildings, and with them military members dressed in navy blue. The soldiers quickly formed a wall of bodies between the protesters and Lena, while the guards moved to overwhelm and arrest Ben Lock, clearing their way.

“Lena?”

She looked up to see Kate looking at her with concern.

“I’m okay,” she assured her. “Shaken, but okay.”

Kate nodded, then glanced back toward the doors. “The Council is waiting.”

Lena clenched her jaw. “Then we’d best not keep them waiting.”

A grin tugged at the corners of Kate’s lips and she turned, leading them inside. The doors of the Capitol building opened as they approached, and they stepped inside.

They stepped into an immense open room made of towering crystals that seemed to glow with the sunlight they absorbed. Huge statues surrounded them, each one with a different crest on its chest.

“Each statue represents one of the Kryptonian Guilds,” Tula explained from behind her. “Each Guild is represented equally with two members on the Council. Before the war, an Alpha and Omega would represent each Guild but now…”

“Now there are only Alphas,” Mace finished.

“But you have Omegas now,” Lena said. “You’ve had them for ten years. And yet they have no representation in your government.”

“Um…” Mace stammered.

“Well…” Tula began.

Kate actually chuckled. “Oh, the Council is going to love you. I can tell.”

Lena frowned at the Alpha’s sarcastic tone. But as they approached another set of double doors, the Alpha’s demeanor soured again.

“The Council’s Chamber is through here,” she said. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Lena replied.

Kate nodded and pressed her hand against the doors. They swung open in front of them, and the Alphas separated around her.

“Then this is where we leave you,” Kate said, bowing her head in respect.

Lena nodded in return, and then stepped through the doorway.

The word _chamber_ , in Lena’s mind, had invoked a vision of a small dark room, perhaps lit by torches or some other warm light, underground or somehow hidden away. Instead, what she walked into was more like a stadium of crystal. All set in a perfect circle, much like the city outside, Lena walked down a narrow hallway that opened to an open rotunda. Walls higher than her head surrounded her on all sides, and above those walls twelve figures sat or stood, looking down on her with anything from curiosity to derision. Behind them, rows upon rows of crystal benches sat empty, and above them crystals formed a domed ceiling that arched up to an oculus that allowed sunlight to fill the entire room.

“Lena Luthor?”

Lena realized she had frozen as soon as she stepped into the rotunda. She quickly collected herself, and then stepped forward until she was in the center of the room. From here, she could see the twelve people gathered to judge her, but her eyes landed on the large seat directly opposite where she had entered the room, the place where she knew the King was supposed to be seated.

The throne was empty.

That didn’t seem right, but then again nothing about this process had been right so far. She looked around at the twelve assembled Kryptonians, and her eyes landed on a familiar face.

General Astra stood above her, dressed in her finest military uniform. She nodded in acknowledgment, but didn’t speak. Lena wasn’t entirely sure if the General’s presence was entirely reassuring or not.

“We should not begin without the King.”

Lena searched until her eyes landed on the speaker, a tall dark-skinned man with a stern expression. He wore brown and burgundy robes and a heavy medallion hung around his neck, bearing the symbol of Rao, the Kryptonian sun god.

“The prisoner is here, J’onn, and I sent a messenger to the palace informing his majesty of the time of the trial,” said another man, this one dressed in a stiff black high-necked coat. Lena could just make out the sigil on his shoulder, and it matched the one on Kate’s, which she took to mean that this was her father. “We should get started. We have many trials to deal with after the mess that happened on Captain El’s ship.”

Lena wanted to bristle at the implications of the man’s words, but she managed to hold it together. She had to keep her composure through all this, for her sake and for Kara’s.

“Lena Luthor, you have been brought before the High Council today to stand trial for accusations of treason against Argo,” Jacob Kane said. “The Council has reviewed all other evidence and testimony against you. Today you will be given an opportunity to defend yourself against this charge, and then the Council will make its decision on your guilt or innocence and make a recommendation of sentencing to our King. Do you understand this process?”

“I understand,” Lena replied, clenching her fists at her sides until her nails dug into her palms.

“Then you may begin your defense.”

Lena swallowed hard. “First of all, I just want to clarify a few things. The actions that you call treason, you’re referring to the messages and information that I sent to my lawyers and assistants on Earth, correct?”

“That is correct,” Astra said, drawing Lena’s attention.

“Is that all I am on trial for today?” Lena asked. “I am not being tried for my brother’s crimes on Earth? Or any other perceived crime?”

“Contrary to what the crowd gathered outside desires, this Council does not cast judgement on someone for crimes committed by another member of their House,” the man from the Religious Guild replied. “Lex Luthor’s crimes were investigated by the authorities on Earth, with supervision from several of our Collection Officers. You were found to have no knowledge of the attack, and so were not charged on Earth and you will not be charged here.”

Lena nodded in understanding as another member of the Council spoke, a woman dressed in a flowing light-blue robe made of gauzy fabric.

“As for other perceived crimes, none have been brought to our attention,” she said. “But we do encourage honesty. If you have committed any other crimes in your time aboard the Kryptonian ship and admit them here, our punishment may prove less severe than if you were dishonest.”

Lena wasn’t sure she believed that statement, but thankfully she didn’t have to test it because, at least to her knowledge, she hadn’t committed any crimes— including the one of which she was accused.

“Thank you,” she told them. “Also, one more clarification. What exactly is your definition of _treason_?”

Above her, another Council member snorted and spoke in Kryptonese. “ _I suppose the rumors of her intelligence were overstated._ ”

Lena wanted to reply in Kryptonese, but decided that letting the Council know that she had knowledge of their language was a card she wanted to keep in her back pocket. She caught Astra’s eye and the General shook her head ever-so-slightly.

“Treason, by our definition, is betrayal of one’s planet in any way that could cause harm to come to its people or government,” a dark-haired woman in brown and black robes replied.

Lena nodded in understanding. “Yes, that was the definition on Earth as well, although we would say betrayal of one’s country rather than planet.”

“Do you have anything to say in your defense, Miss Luthor?” Jacob Kane asked, his tone irritated and impatient.

“Oh, yes,” Lena replied. “Under your definition of treason, I am not guilty.”

There was a moment of silence, then a bark of disbelieving laughter from the same Councilman who had spoken in Kryptonese before. Lena ignored him and continued.

“You mentioned evidence and testimony earlier. Have you reviewed the transmissions that I sent to Earth?”

“We have,” was the reply.

“Then you have seen that none of the information sent to Earth could cause harm to come to the Kryptonians or your government. I did not send schematics of the Collection vessels, detailing weak spots in their structure— which, by the way, there are plenty. I did not send information on numbers of officers or military personnel on board. I gave true statements about my own Collection process, which exposed my own government’s crooked dealings with one individual Kryptonian whom you have already arrested.

“But, for a moment, let’s say that the information that I sent, while not a direct harm on the Kryptonian people or government, were inflammatory in a way that made the last Collection more difficult than it would have otherwise been— a statement which cannot be proven. Even so, I cannot be guilty of treason, under your very definition, because treason is a betrayal of one’s own planet, and I am not a Kryptonian. I am human, or I was until I underwent the genetic modification process, if anything you should’ve returned me to Earth and allowed them to prosecute me, but instead you forbade me to return.”

“You became a citizen when you underwent the genetic modification procedure,” Jacob Kane interjected, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What is your planet’s legal definition of a citizen?” Lena asked, though she knew the answer. She had studied it on the modules she and every Omega was given to study, and the answer had infuriated her.

“A native or naturalized inhabitant of Argo, entitled to the rights and privileges thereof, including…” Astra’s voice trailed off and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Including protection by and representation within the government of Argo,” Lena finished for her. “I argue that I am not a citizen of Argo, and neither are any humans or human-turned-Omegas who reside on Argo, because we do not have representation within Argo’s government. And because I am not a legal citizen, you cannot charge me with the crime of treason.”

The silence that filled the Council’s Chamber was deafening. Lena kept her chin up as she peered around the room, measuring the expressions on each Council member. Astra looked downright pleased at the conclusion Lena had come to, but most wore thoughtful frowns. Some looked confused, and at least two looked downright furious.

Suddenly loud, uneven clapping filled the air, echoing off the empty crystal around them. It took Lena a moment to realize that it was coming from behind her, and she turned quickly as a man stepped out of the hallway she had entered from. He was tall, with dark hair and sharp features, and wore a navy tunic and a long, flowing red cape. Lena could almost recognize him by his blue eyes, so similar to his cousin, and if that wasn’t enough the S-shaped symbol on his chest confirmed his identity.

“I must admit, I’m not particularly surprised that you started without me,” Kal El said, clasping his hands together as he looked up at the Council. “After all, I think I made my opinion of this particular trial pretty clear when we were reviewing the evidence yesterday.”

“Your majesty, if I may—“ one of the Council members began, the same one who had earlier insulted Lena’s intelligence.

“You may not, Lord Max Vel,” Kal said with a slight shake of his head. “This Council has two duties— to represent the people of Argo in the creation and interpretation of our laws and to enforce those laws when they are broken. However, it has failed in those duties at its most basic level, as Miss Luthor so clearly pointed out. If we are to govern the humans and Omegas residing on Argo, it is only fair that they are also able to influence our government.”

“They hold influence as our mates,” one of the Council members interrupted.

“How many of you have mates?” Kal asked, and three of them raised their hands. “Three out of ten, four out of eleven if you include me. Perhaps if more of you had mates, you would understand why this is so important. You would understand why what Miss Luthor has done is not treason, as you believe, but perhaps a boon for our people.”

“What do you mean?” Astra asked, before anyone else could argue.

“The Governments of Earth have reached out to me,” the King replied. “The protests sparked by Miss Luthor’s messages continued after the Collection vessels began the return journey to Argo. Families divided by the Collection procedures began demanding that their daughters, their sisters, the women that they love be allowed to return home.”

“That is nonsense! They are our mates now!” one of the mated Council members exclaimed.

“Not permanently, Jax Ur,” Kal El explained. “They wish to allow the women and their mates to return to Earth to visit their loved ones.”

Lena’s eyes widened in shock, along with the eyes of the Council members.

“There is much to discuss,” Kal El continued, “obviously. But this is something that my mate has desired since her arrival on Argo, as have many other Omegas that now reside with us. Lena Luthor’s actions have not harmed Argo or her inhabitants, but rather they may have saved our mates from a lifetime of heartache.”

“She did not know that when she sent the information,” Jacob Kane barked, clearly unaffected by the news.

Kal El stood to his full height, and his cape billowed slightly though Lena could feel no breeze.

“Pass whatever judgment you please against her, Councilman Kane, but when you refer to me for sentencing, I intend to pardon Miss Luthor for any perceived crimes. I do not believe we can punish someone who is not a true citizen and who has done nothing but help our people,” he said, his voice firm.

“A vote, then,” Astra said quickly, before anyone else could speak. “J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild?”

“Not guilty,” replied the man wearing the symbol of Rao.

“Selena Daru of the Religious Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Jul Us of the Labor Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Jacob Kane of the Labor Guild?”

“Guilty,” the Alpha replied, with a frown and a proud raise of his chin.

“Elsa Van of the Artisans Guild?”

“Not guilty,” said the female Alpha in the gauzy glue robe.

“Nair San of the Artisans Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Max Vel of the Science Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Jax Ur of the Science Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Dru Zod of the Military Guild?”

“Guilty.”

Astra turned back to them, and Lena could see the familiar blaze of pride in her blue eyes.

“I, Astra Ze of the Military Guild, vote not guilty,” she said.

“The vote stands seven not guilty to three guilty,” J’onn J’onzz announced. “Thus, Lena Luthor, you are found not guilty of treason against Argo. You are free to go.”

For a long moment, Lena stood frozen, unable to believe that what she had done had actually worked. She was only pulled from her disbelief when a shadow fell over her.

“Miss Luthor,” the King greeted.

“Oh, your highness!” Lena bowed awkwardly at the waist before looking up at the Kryptonian. “Please, call me Lena.”

“In that case, you must call me Kal,” he replied. “We’re family after all.”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that,” Lena said, shaking her head.

“Believe me, my mate will tease you mercilessly if she catches you bowing or calling me _your majesty_ ,” Kal said with a chuckle. “I know I am not the member of the House of El you would like to be with right now, Lena, but please allow me to escort you back to the palace and show you around your new home.”

Lena nodded in agreement. “Of course, Kal.”

The King grinned, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled in a way that resembled Kara’s so closely that Lena almost shivered. He offered his arm, and Lena took it, fully aware of the symbolism of walking beside the Kryptonian King as they exited the Capitol. The crowd outside was still gathered, held back by a line of soldiers, and several members of the guard fell into step in front of and behind Lena and the King. As they emerged from the doorway, the gathered Kryptonians began booing and shouting their displeasure. With every step Kal’s brow furrowed further, crinkling in frustration that Lena was very familiar with, until finally he stopped and turned toward the crowd.

“Silence!” he bellowed, and a thick dominant scent filled the air around them. It didn’t bother Lena, as it was so similar to Kara’s, but the Alphas gathered in the crowd all lowered their eyes in submission, and even the soldiers fidgeted in their positions. Kal El looked around the crowd.

“The Council has found Lena Luthor not guilty of any crimes against Argo,” he declared. “But that is not why you are here. You would have her tried and punished for crimes that she did not commit, crimes of which she is entirely innocent.”

“Shame is in her blood!” a Kryptonian shouted from near the back of the crowd, where the King’s scent did not quite reach. Many others nodded in agreement and the crowd began murmuring again.

Kal snarled. “Then it is in mine as well!”

The people fell silent.

“If we all traced the branches and roots of our family trees, none of us would be without this blood shame that you all cling to so desperately, not one of us. So I beseech you, let go of this belief,” Kal said with a sigh, and Lena imagined this was something he had said many times to his people. “But if you cannot, then know this. Lena Luthor is under my protection. She is now a member of the House of El, and as such any attack toward her is an attack on the royal family and will be punished as such. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your majesty,” the crowd chorused.

“Good,” Kal growled. “Now return to your duties. You are all crucial to the continued survival and growth of Argo. Krypton must continue on. _El Mayarah?_ ”

“ _El Mayarah!_ ” the crowd chorused back, and it was oddly unsettling to hear the mass wildly exclaim the words that Kara had whispered so reverently in the dark.

“Lena?”

She looked away from the dispersing crowd and back to the Alpha who walked beside her.

“Did Kara tell you what those words mean?”

Lena nodded as they started walking again. “Yes, she did. _Stronger together._ ”

Kal nodded as well. “My father and grandfather always said it, but I don’t think I truly understood it until after they were both gone. I had to experience being alone to truly appreciate my family. Funny how that works.”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Lena replied.

“That’s why I reached out to Kara,” Kal continued. “I didn’t want to be alone, and she was the last family that I had left. Even when I met my mate, Kara was still special to me, the last of my blood, the last of the House of El. Until now, anyway.”

Lena tensed as they approached the door of the royal palace. Kal El stopped again, and looked at her intently.

“I always thought that I knew my cousin, and that I could trust her,” he said. “She always spoke so staunchly against the Collection, and swore that she would never take a mate. So imagine my surprise when I received word that not only has she taken a mate, but she has broken the Laws of the Collection to do it.”

Lena shook her head. “You have to understand, there were extenuating circumstances.”

Kal nodded. “Alex has told me. And Astra. And I have seen the evidence and heard testimony from many others on board the ship. But I have to ask you directly, Lena— did my cousin force you to be her mate?”

“No,” Lena replied. “She… She did break the laws. She had Alex perform the genetic modification procedure on me without my consent. But she never forced me to mate with her, in fact she was adamant that she would never force me. I forgave her for what she did, and I accepted her offer of courtship, and after I got to know her, I chose to become her mate. She never forced me to do any of that.”

Kal sighed in relief. “Thank Rao. The others had told me, but I just wanted to make sure.”

“Kara is still the cousin you know and trust,” Lena assured him. “She loves you very much, you know.”

“I love her, too,” Kal replied.

“Then you have to get the Council to release her,” Lena insisted. “Or at least go easy on her with your sentencing.”

Kal sighed, but this time it was with frustration and sadness. He took Lena’s hand in his and squeezed gently.

“I wish it were that simple,” he said. “Come, I’ll explain inside. There are many people waiting to see you.”

She should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy, but she had to ask. Lena’s jaw tensed as she ground her teeth together in determination.

She was going to get her mate back, one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s 6:30am and I stayed up all night writing this. Oops...


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry to leave you guys hanging for so long.
> 
> I took a break from writing this fic to write my entry for the SuperCorp Big Bang back during the summer, and I meant to come back to it sooner. But little details in the fic that I don’t like from earlier chapters started annoying me. And I’m trying to get past those to just continue writing and adding to it. Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait.

The palace was made up of a series of crystal towers set around an expansive courtyard. Lena followed Kal El through the public doors and into a large empty antechamber, toward another set of doors which two guards pulled open as they approached. As they stepped inside, Lena’s steps faltered to a halt as she took in her surroundings.

She knew enough from the modules she had studied and conversations with Kara to know that this was the throne room. This was where the King hosted dignitaries from other planets, met with heads of the great Kryptonian houses, and received citizens from every walk of life for three days every month. She had seen pictures on her tablet, but nothing had prepared her for seeing it in reality.

It reminded her of the Notre Dame Cathedral, with its open spaces and high ceiling, and yet it was more because, like the Capitol of Argo, it was made of crystal. Columns and beams of blue stone held up a ceiling so high that it blurred in Lena’s vision. Sunlight glinted in from above, bouncing off every surface until the air itself seemed pale blue. Closer to them, two enormous statues stood on either side of the entrance, one male and one female, both reaching out with one arm to hold a perfect sphere that glittered in the sunlight and cast a beam of light directly toward the throne.

“My parents,” Kal El said, pulling her back to the present. He was almost halfway across the room from her now, but a soft smile was on his face. “The one behind the throne is my grandfather, Seyg El, the last king of Krypton.”

Lena turned her attention to the statue he spoke of, a crystalline colossus with a heavy crown and a severe expression, bearing the crest of the House of El on his chest. At its feet was the King’s throne, also made of crystal. Lena was surprised to see another chair, this one made of wood and plush fabric, placed directly beside the throne.

The wall behind the throne was decorated with the symbols of Krypton’s five Guilds, hung in a straight horizontal line to show their equality. The walls to either side were also decorated with the seals of the great houses of Krypton. Unlike the Council’s Chamber, there was no seating for an audience here; instead all present stood on the same level, equal.

“It’s beautiful,” Lena said finally.

“It is,” Kal agreed. “I have to remind myself sometimes. To me it feels much like I imagine your office felt to you, a place to work. But it represents so much more.”

He shook his head as Lena caught up with him. “This passage leads to the courtyard, and from there we will go to the living quarters. There are quarters for those who work in the palace, open quarters for visiting guests, and the private quarters of the royal family.”

Two guards were stationed by doors behind the throne, and they opened them as they approached. They made their way through a short hallway before emerging in a massive garden surrounded by high crystal walls. Open lawns were divided by stone walkways and well-tended flowerbeds. Flowers of every color grew throughout the space, including a few that had been brought from Earth, but Lena didn’t recognize most of them. Fruit trees grew along one side of the garden, along with bushes thick with berries. Workers tended to the plants diligently as they walked by, and they inclined their heads in respect to their king but didn’t stop working. They walked along the edge of the garden until they came to another tower with guarded doors.

“This tower houses the private quarters of the royal family,” Kal explained as they stepped inside, into a large antechamber. “As a child, that meant only me. And then, later, it also meant Kara. Then I found my mate, and now Kara has you. This will be your home, on Argo.”

Lena froze as Kal led her into an electronic lift meant to take them higher into the tower. The king’s brow crinkled in a way so similar to Kara that Lena’s throat tightened.

“I’m sorry, this is just… not how I imagined things going when I arrived here,” Lena told him. “I imagined Kara would be the one to show me her home.”

“Your home,” Kal corrected, then sighed. “And yes, I can understand that. It is my sincerest hope that she will join you soon.”

“Why did they put us in prison?” Lena asked. “Kara didn’t think they would do that.”

“That was the Council’s decision,” Kal explained. “They did not want to be seen as being lenient just because Kara is a member of the royal family.”

The fact that Lena found that understandable almost made her angry.

“Your friends are with my mate in our quarters, waiting for you,” Kal told her as the lift took them higher and higher into the tower. “I have to return to the Capitol. The Council is holding trials for the women who tried to escape from your ship this afternoon.”

“What will happen to them?” Lena asked.

The king frowned. “It is more of a formality than anything else. The precedent has already been set from a previous escape attempt. The women will be sent to Kandor, along with the others from Earth, but they will be housed separately and carefully monitored to ensure that they don’t attempt to escape again.”

“Have you ever thought about allowing women to return to Earth if they truly aren’t happy here?” Lena asked.

Surprisingly, Kal’s face turned up into a slight smile. “Much more often of late than ever before. But that is a discussion for another time, Lena.”

The lift came to a stop and the doors opened before Lena could process his words. She shouted in surprise as she was immediately pulled into a tight embrace, but it only took a moment for her to recognize the warm arms and familiar scent that enveloped her.

“Andy, oh my God,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around her friend and squeezing tight.

Before she knew it she was being pulled into another hug, this time Sam, with Ruby at her side, and then Lucy and Alex and even James. Winn was there, and he hugged her tightly before introducing her to his wife, Ayla, and their young daughter, Mary, who was playing with Ruby nearby. Even Russ hugged her with the arm that wasn’t cradling baby Nardo. She bent and kissed her sleeping godson’s forehead as tears of relief and anxiety began rolling down her cheeks and Andrea pulled her close again.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Just let it out. You’re safe now.”

“ _I’m_ safe, but what about Kara?” Lena demanded.

“We’re going to figure that out,” Andrea told her. “Why do you think we’re all here?”

Lena wiped her eyes and looked around at her friends, feeling more confident than she had in days. Kal stepped toward her again, this time with his arm around the shoulders of a dark-haired woman in a Kryptonian dress with a barely-noticeable baby bump.

“Lena, I’d like to introduce you to my mate,” he said.

“And my sister!” Lucy interjected from a few feet away, and Kal pursed his lips in a way that let Lena know this wasn’t an unusual interruption. The queen just rolled her eyes.

“Lois Lane,” she said, extending her hand nonchalantly. It took Lena a moment to fully register the human gesture and shake the proffered hand.

“Lena Luthor,” she replied. “It’s nice to meet you finally. Kara talks about you and Kal El all the time.”

“All good things?” Lois asked with a sly grin.

“Mostly,” Lena shrugged, and the other woman laughed. Lena had a feeling that she was going to like her.

“Come, let’s get you something to eat,” Lois suggested. “The palace chefs have brought up a meal for you and your guests.”

“I’m not sure I can eat. My stomach’s been turning from anxiety since before we landed on Argo,” Lena admitted.

Lois took her firmly by the shoulders. “Listen to me. I know Kara, and I know that she would want you to take care of yourself. You have to stay strong for her, okay?”

Lena nodded. She was definitely going to like Lois Lane.

“I’ll leave you in my mate’s very capable hands,” Kal announced. “We can speak again later this evening, or tomorrow morning, depending on when I am able to return.”

“Of course, thank you,” Lena replied.

The king left and the rest of them made their way inside to a large table that was laden with a variety of foods. Lena sat sandwiched between Andrea and Sam, who were clearly unwilling to let her go far. She was grateful for them, but she couldn’t help feeling like something was missing.

“When will they hold Kara’s trial?” Lena asked, and the table fell silent. Lena looked around at everyone, but her eyes eventually landed on Lois.

“After the Council finishes the human women’s trials, tomorrow will be a day with no trials, so that each Council member and Kal may attend to their other duties,” Lois explained. “And then they will move on to the Kryptonian’s trials in order of rank.”

“And how many of those are there?”

“I’m not sure of the exact number,” Lois replied. “There were a few minor incidents on other ships. And then there were the two major incidents on Kara’s ship.”

Lena felt the blood leave her face as she realized what Lois was referring to. “Oh.”

“First will be Ty Vel’s trial, because he is lower ranking,” Russ El interjected. “The Council will want your testimony for that. Astra has given them her summary of events, and any other witnesses will be called, but you will have to give your account as well.”

Lena gritted her teeth. “I will, gladly.”

Andrea reached into Lena’s lap and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“Good,” Lois nodded. “And then after that will be Kara’s trial.”

Lena took a deep breath and stiffened her spine, assuming the posture she always carried in the boardroom on Earth.

“Alright,” she said, her tone cold in spite of her emotional connection to the subject at hand. “What’s our plan?”

——

By the time night fell, the king still had not returned from the Capitol. Lena was absolutely exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. As her friends all left for their own homes, her body began to weaken, and Lena knew that she was fighting a losing battle against nature.

“Come with me,” Lois said finally. “I’ll show you to your quarters.”

Lena wasn’t sure what she was expecting— perhaps a simple suite like the Captain’s quarters on the ship, or perhaps just a bedroom. Lois took her to the lift and down several floors.

“This wing floor contains quarters for your personal housekeepers and assistants, your guards, and your personal quarters,” Lois explained.

“Our guards?” Lena asked.

“Yes, as a member of the royal family you’ll want to take at least one or two guards with you whenever you leave the palace,” Lois told her. “The only place Kal El ever goes unguarded is to the Capitol building, and I rarely ever leave the palace without a guard.”

“That sounds… suffocating,” Lena said honestly. “On Earth I was advised to hire a security team, but I just couldn’t bear having someone follow me around 

“These quarters have four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a small kitchen, a dining and sitting area, a study, and a private garden,” Lois told her.

“Oh,” Lena breathed as she looked around the living room. It was almost as large as the King’s quarters, where they had been before, and decorated similarly, but with softer and brighter colors.

“I had the housekeepers come in and freshened the space up earlier today,” Lois told her. “There are some snacks in the kitchen, if you need anything tonight. I had your toiletries placed in the bathroom off the main bedroom and your clothing from the ship placed in the closet. Kara’s bedroom is this way.”

Lois led her around the living room, to one of the doors lining the side. The door opened, revealing a modern bedroom with a large bed along one wall.

“This is Kara’s room?” Lena asked.

“It’s your room now, too,” Lois replied. “Do you need anything else?”

Lena shook her head. “No, you can go. I’ll be fine.”

Lois gave her a bittersweet smile. “It’s going to be alright, Lena.”

“I know,” Lena told her. “I just… I want my mate.”

Lois nodded in understanding, then turned to go.

Lena sighed and looked around the room. She felt… out of place. Lois had said it was hers, but somehow it just didn’t feel right to be there without Kara. _Nothing_ felt right without Kara. It wasn’t that she felt _broken_ , that wasn’t quite the right word. It was more like she was missing a piece of herself— a very important piece— and she wanted it back.

She couldn’t bring herself to get into the bed. Instead she washed up in the bathroom, changed into pajamas, and dragged a blanket from the bed into the living area. She tucked herself into one end of the sofa, wrapped the blanket around herself like a burrito, and gave into the exhaustion until morning.

——

“Lena, you have to eat something.”

Lena scowled as she forcibly stabbed a piece of seasoned meat with her fork and stuffed it into her mouth. She chewed dramatically and swallowed, not even tasting the rich spices.

“There, I’ve eaten something,” she groused.

Beside her, Andrea frowned. “You have to keep your strength up. Kara wouldn’t want you—“

“I don’t really give a damn what Kara would want right now, Andy,” Lena hissed, shoving her plate away.

Andrea raised a brow at her tone. “Well, then, maybe you should at least try to keep your strength up for the trial. You have to testify against Ty Vel this afternoon, in front of the Council and any Kryptonians that come to watch. You don’t want to pass out from exhaustion or low blood sugar in front of them.”

If possible, Lena’s scowl deepened, but she pulled her plate back toward her. “Fine.”

Andrea nodded with satisfaction as Lena forced another bite into her mouth. This was an ongoing battle between them, and if it wasn’t Andrea reminding Lena to take care of herself, it was Sam, or Alex, or even Lois. The only time they left her alone was when she went to bed at night, when she could be alone in Kara’s quarters, and sometimes that felt like too much. If she wasn’t exhausted, she would lie awake on the sofa until the wee hours of the morning, eventually falling into a light slumber before the sun rose and she was summoned to breakfast. Lena could feel it starting to take a toll on her, but she couldn’t seem to force herself to do anything else. The anxiety over Kara’s wellbeing and her impending trial was eating at her, and it wouldn’t stop.

She managed three more bites before she pushed her plate away again. “I’m full.”

“Lena, I know—“

“Your mate isn’t in a prison cell, Andrea,” Lena reminded her. “So don’t tell me you know anything about how I’m feeling.”

Andrea’s face fell for a moment, then she braced her shoulders. “Fine. I need to go anyway, Nardo will be waking up for his mid-morning feeding anytime. I’ll see you before the trial.”

Andrea left in a huff and for a moment, guilt pierced through the storm of anxiety that had overtaken Lena’s consciousness. She sighed and took a sip of her drink.

“She’s just trying to help,” Lois said softly from across the table. “We all are.”

“I know,” Lena replied. “It’s just… It’s been four days.”

Lois nodded. “Are you sure you want to see the entire trial? You can just go for your testimony and then leave.”

“No, I want to see the entire thing,” Lena told her. “I need to know how things go, and I need to hear what he says.”

“Okay,” Lois replied.

“You don’t have to go with me, if you don’t want to.”

“Lena, you’re part of my family now,” Lois said with a sigh. “I’ll be there. All of your friends will be there to support you.”

Lena’s hands clenched. “I— I don’t know what to say. I’ve testified in trials before, on Earth. My brother, my mother. But I never had anyone in my corner, not really.”

“Well, now you do,” Lois assured her.

They headed over to the Capitol building when lunch was finished. Lena knew the Council had heard some testimony that morning— Russ El and Astra’s accounts of what they had seen, Alex’s account of Ty Vel’s visit to the med bay for suppressants before the attack, and even Winn had pulled surveillance from the hallway to show when Ty Vel had entered Lena’s quarters after her. During the afternoon, Lena would testify, and then Kara would be brought from prison to give her account of what happened, and finally Ty Vel would be given an opportunity to defend himself before the Council decided on a verdict and sentencing. There were no lawyers, but the Council members could question them to push for more information.

The Council’s Chamber was just as cold and sterile as Lena remembered, even with an audience gathered. The rows of seats weren’t full, but there were a few spectators. Russ, Alex and Winn sat together, behind Kal El’s seat, but the rest of Lena’s friends were all gathered in one area. A guard ushered Lena in, and she walked to the center of the chamber.

“Lena Luthor, you have been called before the High Council to give testimony against Ty Vel, who stands accused of attempted rape,” Jacob Kane announced. “Please tell us, to the best of your ability, what occurred on the evening in question.”

Lena’s hands clenched at her sides. She had practiced this thousands of times in her head, but her tongue felt thick in her mouth. She glanced around at the gathered Council members, until her eyes landed on Astra. The General nodded to her, a barely perceptible gesture, but it calmed Lena’s racing pulse.

“I was on my way to dinner when I realized that I had forgotten something—“ Lena began.

“What had you forgotten?” a council member, Max Vel, if Lena remembered correctly, interrupted her.

“Honestly, Max, let her finish her first sentence,” J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild sighed.

“I will not let my kinsman be—“

“Enough,” Kal El said sharply. “We’ve discussed this. The trial will continue and all relevant testimony will be given.” The King looked at Lena. “Continue, Miss Luthor.”

Lena swallowed hard. “Right, well, I had forgotten a set of schematics I had drawn up for a regulator that I designed on Earth that a friend was interested in seeing. I realized I had forgotten them and returned to my room—“

“This friend, who was that?” Max Vel asked.

“Her name is Doan Ro, she was a technician on the ship,” Lena told them.

“And you returned to your room alone, without a chaperone?” Max pressed.

“Yes,” Lena replied..

“But hadn’t you been warned by multiple individuals, including General Astra, that you should not traverse the ship without a chaperone?”

Lena scowled. “I’m sorry, but are your laws against rape rendered void just because the Omega is alone?”

“They most certainly are _not_ ,” J’onn replied, his voice practically a growl as he glared across the Chamber at Max.

“As I was saying,” Lena continued. “I was headed back to my quarters when I ran into Ty Vel in the hallway. He was knocking on the door to my room.”

“Did you invite him back to your quarters?” Jacob asked.

Lena paused as she thought back. “I told him he could accompany me inside, yes.”

“But you didn’t realize that he was in rut?” Astra interjected.

“No, I didn’t,” Lena answered. “I didn’t notice that he was acting strangely until we were in my room.”

Astra nodded. “Go on.”

“Once we were inside, Ty Vel got upset that I was planning on showing my schematics to another Alpha,” Lena told them. “Then he said we shouldn’t go to dinner, because there would be other Alphas there. That’s when I realized how strange he was acting, and how he smelled.”

“How did you respond to his scent?” Max asked.

“Max!” Jax Ur exclaimed. “You are a member of the Science Guild! You know that an Omega cannot control if they have a physiological response to an Alpha’s rut pheromones.”

“Question withdrawn,” Max huffed.

Anger flared in Lena. “You’re right, I did have a physiological response to Ty. He could smell it, so he knew. But I told him that I didn’t want him that way, and he ignored me. He pushed me onto the bed and talked about how he was going to mate with me and knot me and—“ Lena paused and took a deep breath to center herself. “He ripped my shirt open. I told him to stop, that I didn’t want to mate with him, but he just ignored me. He pinned me to the bed and was about to unfasten my pants when Kara interrupted him and pulled him off of me.”

Lena shifted from one foot to the other and crossed her arms, squeezing her forearm to ground herself. She could almost feel Ty Vel’s hands on her once again, and it made her sick.

“Kara El pulled Ty Vel from you and then beat him, is that correct?” Jacob asked.

Lena nodded. “Yes, that’s correct. She was very angry.”

“Miss Luthor, before Ty Vel’s alleged attack,” Max Vel began, and Lena glared at him, “can you describe your interaction?”

“We had spoken on a few occasions, and shared meals in the dining hall,” Lena replied. “Ty Vel was polite, kind, and respectful.”

“Do you believe he was interested in courting you?” Max asked.

Lena flushed. “Perhaps.”

“And did you ever express such interest in him?”

“That is irrelevant,” Astra argued, but Lena answered anyway.

“I wouldn’t say that my interest was anything other than friendly,” she said. “If Ty Vel interpreted it as anything more, that is not my fault. And none of that excuses what he did to me.”

The Council members all shuffled in their seats, looking at their notes. Finally Kal El caught Lena’s eye.

“I have one more question for you, Miss Luthor,” he said. “After the attack, you told several witnesses that you didn’t want Ty Vel put to death for his actions. Do you still feel that way, today?”

Lena squeezed her own arm again. “At the time, I thought Ty Vel’s actions were only fueled by his rut. But a few weeks later, after his outburst toward Kara, I wasn’t so sure. But even so… I don’t feel comfortable that he would be put to death for what he did to me. I still don’t feel that he was in his right mind, fully capable of controlling himself.”

Kal El nodded. “Your testimony will be taken into consideration. Thank you, Miss Luthor, you are dismissed. You may leave, or you may join the other witnesses behind me.”

Lena left the chamber and followed a guard up to the audience level. She could see her friends all gathered across the way, but for now she had to sit with Alex, Russ, and Winn— not that she minded.

“You did well,” Russ declared as Alex pulled her into a tight hug.

“Thanks,” Lena replied, sighing into the Alpha’s shoulder. Winn pulled her into a hug as well, and then they sat down with Lena sandwiched between them.

“The Council’s next witness is Kara El,” Jacob Kane announced.

Lena immediately grabbed at Alex and Winn’s hands as a guard escorted Kara into the Chamber. Lena gasped, and she could hear similar sounds from Alex and Winn’s throats.

“Why does she look like that?” Lena asked. “Alex?”

“I don’t know, Lena,” Alex replied, squeezing her hand.

Kara stood tall, but she limped slightly as she made her way into the Chamber. Her hair was unkempt and dirty, and one half of her face was mottled with bruises, green and healing on her jaw and dark blue around her eye. She wore a loose, nondescript tan dressing gown that hung down to her ankles, rather than her uniform.

“Kara El, you have been called before the High Council to give testimony against Ty Vel, who stands accused of attempted rape. Please tell us, to the best of your ability, what occurred on the evening in question,” Jacob Kane announced yet again.

“I was in the dining hall of the ship when I saw Russ El and his mate Andrea enter,” Kara said, her voice low and raspy.

“Speak up!” Max Vel ordered, and Lena had to tamp down the urge to take a few steps down to the Councilmembers’ level and slap the horrible Alpha.

Kara took a deep breath, and when she continued her voice was louder. “Lena wasn’t with Andrea and Russ El, so I approached and asked them where she was. They told me she had returned to her room to retrieve something. A few moments later, I realized that Ty Vel was also not in the dining hall.”

“Why did this raise your suspicion?” Jax Ur asked.

Kara grimaced. “I admit, I was jealous. I knew that Lena had been spending time with Ty Vel, and that he was interested in her. So I went to her room, with the intention of interrupting any conversation they might be having.”

Lena rolled her eyes. Kara had admitted as much to her before, during one of their dates shortly after the attack, and she hadn’t been surprised. She just hoped that now it didn’t look bad in front of the Council.

“What did you find when you came to the room?” J’onn asked.

“I actually heard them first,” Kara told them. “I heard Lena shouting, and I ran to the room. I used my override code to open the door, and when it opened I saw Ty Vel on top of Lena on the bed. Lena’s shirt was ripped, Ty was restraining her hands and trying to unfasten Lena’s trousers.”

“And how did you know that this was non-consensual?” Max asked.

“Lena was saying _no_ , begging Ty Vel to stop and get off her,” Kara replied. “That seemed fairly obvious to me.”

“Yes, well, I just wanted to clarify that you understood the concept of consent, all things considered,” Max said, his voice even.

There was a moment of silence as the words processed in everyone’s mind, and then the Chamber erupted into furious whispers. Lena felt Alex tug at her hand, and only then did she realize that she had stood from the bench, her mind intent on slapping the insolent Councilmember.

“Kara El is _not_ the one on trial here today, Max Vel, and you will do well to remember it,” Astra hissed.

The Alpha just crossed his arms, and looked back smugly toward where Kara stood in the center of the room.

“After you pulled Ty Vel off Lena, what did you do?” Kal asked.

“I barely remember,” Kara admitted, looking at her feet in shame. “My Alpha took over for a few moments. I know I hit him, but I’m not sure how many times. Then Lena told me to stop, and I did. Then Andrea and Russ El came into the room, and General Astra and Alex. They calmed me, and took Ty Vel to a rut cell until his rut was over.”

“And after this attack, did Ty Vel ever show any aggression toward Lena Luthor?” J’onn asked.

“Not toward Lena, necessarily,” Kara replied. “He resented our courtship. And one evening in the dining hall he made his displeasure clear. He charged me. Lena was right beside me, but I don’t believe she was the target of his attack. Unlike his attack on Lena, he couldn’t blame his rut for this aggression, so the decision was made to keep him in a cell for the remainder of the mission.”

The Councilmembers nodded, with the exception of Max Vel, who looked ready to implode as he looked down on Kara.

“Thank you for your testimony, Lady Kara,” J’onn said. “You will be returned to the holding cells until your own trial. Guards.”

Lena felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to cry out, but she knew that that wouldn’t make things any better. Instead she merely willed Kara to look up at her, but her mate kept her eyes firmly downcast as she turned away and walked out of the Chamber accompanied by a guard.

“She didn’t even look at me,” Lena whispered.

“She was likely advised not to, with her own trial coming up,” Russ said. “Technically, Lena, you are the victim in that trial.”

Lena tensed so stiffly that Alex wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed at her back.

“I suppose,” she said finally. “But I’ve made my peace with that, Russ. I’ve forgiven her, I’ve moved on.”

“Yes, and soon you’ll get to share that with them,” Alex told her.

“But Kara still broke our laws,” Russ added.

“I know,” Lena sighed. “I know.”

Their conversation was disrupted by the Chamber doors opening yet again. When Ty Vel entered, Lena expected him to look similar to Kara, perhaps even more unkempt because he had been in a cell longer. But instead, the Alpha was immaculately groomed, dressed in what Lena had recently learned was Kryptonian formal attire— a gray tunic over black pants with a sweeping gray cape over his back.

“What the fuck?” Lena breathed.

“His kin must have pulled some strings to make sure he was well dressed,” Alex told her.

“He’s not bruised like Kara,” Lena huffed.

“Lena, I think you know why,” Winn muttered. “Kara’s high ranking, high profile. Ty Vel is from an important house, but he doesn’t have enemies the way Kara does.”

Lena dug her knuckles into her thighs as Ty Vel strode to the center of the room. Unlike Kara, he had the audacity to look up at her, and he smiled smugly.

For a moment, Lena rethought her earlier statement about not wishing death on him. Then Jacob Kane’s voice rang out through the Chamber.

“Ty Vel, you have been brought before the High Council today to stand trial for accusations of attempted rape of one Lena Luthor. The Council has reviewed all evidence and testimony against you. Today you will be given an opportunity to defend yourself against this charge, and then the Council will make its decision on your guilt or innocence and make a recommendation of sentencing to our King. Do you understand this process?”

“I understand,” Ty Vel replied.

“Then you may begin your defense,” Jacob ordered.

Ty Vel straightened his shoulders and looked around at the Council, then turned his eyes around toward Lena.

“My defense is simple, Councilmembers, your highness,” he said, still gazing at Lena. “My actions toward Lena Luthor that night were not rape, rather they were fully consensual.”

The squeal of indignation that left Lena’s throat was completely involuntary, but it drew every eye in the room to her. All Lena could do, however, was stare slack-jawed at the audacious Alpha in the center of the Chamber as his smile grew even more smug, if possible.

“After many days of flirtatious interactions and conversations, she invited me into her quarters,” Ty Vel continued, uncaring that the room’s attention was not fully on him. “Once inside, she realized that I was in rut and begged me to mate with her. We would’ve mated successfully, had we not been interrupted by Captain El.”

“You claim that your advances were wanted?” Astra demanded. “Then why was Miss Luthor’s blouse torn apart?”

“It was ripped in the heat of the moment,” Ty Vel replied with a shrug. “Call me impatient, but I felt that I had waited long enough to see her beautiful body.”

“And the screams Kara El heard from the hallway? Lena saying _no_ and pleading for you to stop?” Astra pressed.

“I don’t know what Captain El believes she heard, but the only sounds coming from Lena Luthor were sounds of pleasure,” Ty Vel told them.

“That lying son of a—“ Lena whispered.

“Shh, you have to stay quiet,” Alex warned her. “If his time for defense is interrupted by another witness, his trial verdict can be thrown out.”

Lena crossed her legs and knitted her fingers together, squeezing rhythmically in an attempt to calm herself.

“Ty Vel, both Lena Luthor and Kara El claim that your advances on Miss Luthor were non-consensual,” J’onn stated. “Do you have anyone who can corroborate your claims?”

Ty Vel sighed dramatically. “I had hoped that Lena would come to her senses, but it seems that her fear and subservience to Kara El has overpowered her moral center.”

“Her fear?” Max Vel questioned.

“Of course,” Ty replied. “Why else would she be mated to the very Alpha who altered her DNA against her will? Believe me, Councilmembers, you are currently focused on the wrong Alpha when it comes to consent and rape, believe you me.”

Lena closed her eyes and looked down at her lap, unwilling to let anyone, particularly Ty Vel, see the tears welling up in her eyes. Beside her, Alex tugged her into a tight hug and from the opposite side Winn leaned into her as well.

“It’s going to be alright,” Alex cooed.

“Kara El will face trial when the time comes,” Kal El announced. “For now, however, you are on trial, Ty Vel. Councilmembers, do you need any time to deliberate on your votes?”

Around the chamber the Councilmembers shook their heads, and no one spoke up in request.

“Then I call a vote,” Kal announced. “J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Selena Daru of the Religious Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Jul Us of the Labor Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Jacob Kane of the Labor Guild?”

“Guilty.”

Lena looked up from her lap. With every _guilty_ vote, the smug expression on Ty Vel’s face deflated slightly.

“Elsa Van of the Artisans Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Hair San of the Artisan’s Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Max Vel of the Science Guild?”

“Not guilty,” Ty Vel’s kinsman declared, and Lena wasn’t particularly surprised by that.

“Jax Ur of the Science Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Dru Zod of the Military Guild?”

The bearded general scowled as he paused dramatically before his vote. “Guilty.”

“Astra Ze of the Military Guild?

“Guilty,” Astra declared with a slight upturn of her lips.

Lena breathed a sigh of relief. The only member of the Council who had believed Ty Vel’s false testimony was his own kinsman, and Lena doubted even he believed it.

“The vote stands nine guilty to one not guilty,” Kal El declared. “Thus, Ty Vel, you are found guilty of attempted rape of Lena Luthor. The punishment for which is, traditionally, death.” Kal took a deep breath. “However, it is the wish of Miss Luthor that you not receive this penalty, because you were under the influence of your rut at the time of the attack. Therefore, because of her mercy, I sentence you to exile. You have one day cycle to gather your belongings and leave Argo. If you ever return to our planet, you forfeit this mercy and your sentence will be changed to death and carried out immediately. Do you understand.”

Ty Vel grit his teeth. “Yes, your highness.”

“Very well,” Kal nodded. “Guards, you will escort Ty Vel from the Chamber and accompany him until he leaves the planet.” Kal El looked up at the assembled crowd. “That concludes today’s trials. There will be no trials tomorrow, as we attend to our other duties. The day after, we will begin the trial of Lady Kara El.”


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day before the trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! By some miracle we have made it through 2020. Fingers crossed for 2021.

Lena felt numb. There was no anger toward Ty Vel’s behavior, no relief at his sentencing, nothing. She accepted hugs and comments from her friends wordlessly as the Chamber began to clear, but her mind felt remarkably detached from her body. She vaguely registered Lois inviting the others to the palace for dinner before another voice broke through the fog.

“Miss Luthor?”

Lena looked up suddenly at the new, deep voice. The dark-skinned priest of Rao, J’onn J’onzz, stood a few feet away from her, concern etched into his features.

“Are you alright, Miss Luthor?”

“Yes, um, no… You can call me Lena.”

Her voice sounded strange and far away. Suddenly there was a roaring in her ears, and Lena felt as if the world was turning sideways. She felt hands on her, catching her, heard Sam shout her name, before everything went black.

——

“She was just exhausted, J’onn, that’s all.”

Lena awoke to sunlight on her face and the sound of familiar voices nearby. She was in a bed, for a change, but it wasn’t the bed in Kara’s quarters. The exterior walls were made of the same crystal as the palace, but as Lena opened her eyes she realized that the room was smaller and the furniture and decorations were simpler and darker. The main give away, though, was the subtle vanilla scent in the air.

A baritone chuckle pulled Lena’s attention back to the voices in the next room. “I know you think that everything can be explained through science, Alex, but there is more to this world than that.”

“She hasn’t slept in a bed since we got off the ship, J’onn! She’s barely eating… Not that I can blame her, I’m anxious as well.”

“I think it’s more than that, Alex.”

“I know about your theory, and I’m telling you, it’s bogus.”

“Oh? And what about your connection to Sam?”

Lena could hear Alex scoff even through the narrow doorway, could imagine her scowl in her mind’s eye. “That’s different.”

“I don’t think it is,” the Councilmember said.

Lena pushed herself up from the bed and turned herself sideways, but her leg thumped the bedside table as she did so. A moment later, Alex was coming into the room.

“Hey, welcome back to the land of the living,” the Alpha said, quickly sitting beside her and leaning in to support her weight. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, but still not quite right,” Lena sighed.

“Maybe it will help if we get some food into you,” Alex told her. “What do you remember?”

“I remember blacking out after the trial,” Lena replied. “I remember you bringing me here and Sam trying to feed me soup, and then I remember you giving me a sedative so I could sleep.”

“Good, I was afraid the medication might affect your memory.” Alex stood and offered her a supportive arm. “Nice and steady, you might still be a little woozy.”

“I’m fine, I think.” Still, Lena didn’t release Alex’s arm as she led her into the other room— a spacious great room with a quaint sitting area, a small kitchen, and a dining area. Through the window, Lena could see another branch of the palace nearby.

“Miss Luthor, it’s good to see you up and about again!” the Councilmember said from where he was sitting at the dining table sipping from a mug. “You had us all very worried.”

“I’m sorry our first meeting was so brief,” Lena said as Alex led her to a chair. “But I think I remember telling you to call me Lena.”

“Well, in that case, you must call me J’onn,” he insisted.

“Sam should be back from taking Ruby to school soon,” Alex told her as she went to the kitchen and began shuffling around. “I saved you a plate of breakfast. Sam said if you woke up before she got back, I was supposed to threaten to force feed you if you didn’t eat at least half.”

“I’ll do my best,” Lena said with a sigh as Alex put the plate down in front of her. “I’m not being difficult on purpose, it’s just that every time I eat I feel nauseated for hours. I know it’s just anxiety… Or at least I thought it was, before.”

“Before what?” Alex asked.

“Before I heard part of your conversation in here when I woke up,” Lena replied, peering at both of them with narrowed eyes as she stabbed a piece of fruit off her plate.

Alex huffed and glared at J’onn before looking back at her. “What did you hear?”

“That J’onn has some sort of theory, I’m assuming about me.” Lena turned slightly toward the man. “Care to share?”

J’onn sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t share everything yet, Lena. Not until after your trial. I’m sorry, but hopefully everything will make sense then.”

Lena gritted her teeth together. “I am so tired of not knowing what’s going on.”

“I’m sure you are, and again, I am very sorry,” J’onn sighed. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have come today, but I was hoping to meet you before Kara’s trial. You’re a very impressive woman, Lena.”

Lena barked out a humorless laugh. “I don’t feel particularly impressive right now. Just useless.”

“I believe that Rao has a purpose for all of us in his light. In time, you will come to see yours.”

Lena raised a brow. “Forgive me if this is in any way offensive, but doesn’t Argo circle a completely different sun, not Rao?”

“It is not offensive at all. Our faith has had to adapt,” J’onn explained. “Rao’s light is a spiritual light now rather than physical, but the sentiment still stands.”

“Ah, well, I’ve never been particularly religious,” Lena shrugged.

“That is now many of our people feel today,” J’onn sighed, standing. “In difficult times, people either turn to faith, or they turn away. As for me, I devoted myself to it, and that is the only thing that got me through losing my mate and daughters, as well as many friends when Krypton fell.”

“I’m… I’m so sorry for your loss,” Lena told him.

“I appreciate your condolences, but we will meet again someday, in Rao’s light,” he said. “But I don’t say it to garner your sympathies. I merely say it as an example. In a time of great difficulty, I forged a path forward, and it has brought me immense joy. I hope that you will find your place, Lena, among our people. I know your journey here has not been smooth, and perhaps it was not what you chose, but I still hold that hope for you. I think you will be a great asset to Argo.”

Lena was flabbergasted. “Well, I— Thank you, I— I don’t know what to say.”

J’onn stood from his seat and stretched. “Well, I think I am going to take my leave and let you finish your meal. It was wonderful to meet you, Lena, and I am very glad you are feeling better. Alex?”

Alex stood and led the older man to the door. After they said their goodbyes, Alex made her way back to the table.

“Is he always so—?”

“Yes,” Alex nodded. “He’s always like that. And he has _always_ been like that.”

Lena chuckled. “How do you know him again?”

“He was friends with my sire,” Alex told her, sitting back down. “They fought together in the war against Daxam. My sire died, but J’onn survived. When the war was over, he left the military and became a servant of Rao, but he still kept tabs on me in the orphanage. When I became an adult, I… Well, I went a bit wild after I left the orphanage. A lot of Kryptonians my age did foolish things at that age, when we were still pretty sure our species was going to end. I got into fights, stole, drank to excess. J’onn found me at my lowest and got me straightened back out. He reached out to some of his friends still in the military, got me medical training, and a place on a patrol ship. If it wasn’t for him, I honestly don’t know where I would be today.”

“Wow, that’s… Wow,” Lena said, sipping her drink.

“He’s also the one who told Kal El where to find Kara,” Alex said.

“What?” Lena coughed as her tea nearly went into her nostrils.

“When he found me, I told him about Kara,” Alex explained. “Turns out nobody in the Capitol had really kept track of her after they cut her off and sent her to an orphanage. They hadn’t even told the King that his cousin was alive. And once he found out, he immediately sent for her and had her status reinstated, as much as possible anyway.”

Lena was quiet for a long moment as she absorbed this information. “So… he’s on our side. On _Kara’s_ side.”

“As much as anyone can be on her side right now,” Alex nodded.

Lena wanted to press for more information, but before she could, the door opened again and a familiar willowy figure stepped inside.

“Sam!” Lena squealed as the brunette hurried toward her and pulled her up and into a hug.

“You had me so worried!” Sam grumbled, sniffling slightly into Lena’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I’ll try not to do it again,” Lena promised.

“Well, when you get your mate back, you’ll be fine,” Sam declared.

“If I get her back,” Lena mumbled.

“No, don’t talk like that!” Sam admonished. “I’ve already fussed at Alex for being so pessimistic. You’re going to get her back, and that’s that.”

Her words brought a memory back to Lena’s mind, and a slow smile spread across her face. “Speaking it into existence?”

“Yes!” Sam said with an emphatic nod. “That’s it exactly.”

Lena grinned and looked back down at her plate, then up again. “So, tell me about Ruby. How’s she settling in?”

——

Lena spent the rest of the day with Sam and Alex, trying to distract herself from her anxiety. It was partially successful— she even managed to eat most of her lunch— but the deep-seated feeling of dread in her gut persisted no matter what she tried. Even when Ruby returned home from school and began sharing all the things she had learned with Lena, she couldn’t quite push the feeling away. When word came in the evening that she was wanted in the king’s quarters, she left quickly, but not without hugs, and followed a guard through the palace to the royal family’s tower. She stepped into the king’s quarters to find Lois lounging on the sofa, reading on her tablet.

“He’s on the balcony,” Lois told her, nodding toward the other door.

The balcony off the king’s quarters was almost as large as the living room inside, with enough seating to fit just as many people. The view looked out over Argo City, and the countryside beyond that, almost all the way to Kandor in the distance. Kara’s quarters had a similar balcony, a few stories below. The king stood at the edge of the balcony, leaning on the railing.

“This reminds me of my office on Earth,” Lena said, coming to stand beside him.

“Really?” Kal asked.

“Mmhmm, my office had a balcony like this one, though I don’t think it was quite so high,” Lena replied. “I used to go out there for hours when my workday was finished, before going home. I would look out over the city and think of all the people busy leading their lives, going about their day to day. It was a big place, lots of people. Then sometimes I would look up at the sky and realize just how small Earth really was in the grand scheme of things, how all of those people were just a tiny percentage on Earth and how Earth was such a tiny percentage of the entirety of the universe. It was quite humbling, realizing just how small I was.”

“Yes, I know the feeling. When I’m in the throne room, I’m reminded of the past, of my family and the legacy I’m trying to uphold. But when I’m up here, I’m reminded of the people I’m trying to lead.” He was quiet for a long moment, then turned to Lena. “Do you miss it?”

Lena sighed. “Sometimes. I miss certain people, certain places, certain foods, even certain smells. But in the end, I made my choice, and my choice was to come here, with Kara.”

Kal nodded. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better, but still anxious,” Lena replied honestly. “When I saw Kara yesterday, with those injuries…”

“I’ve dealt with those responsible,” Kal assured her. “I assigned Kate Kane to her protection, and she chose two others whom she trusts to assist. She will be safe until the trial. I’ve also sent a dress uniform, and Kate will be sure she’s bathed and looks her best tomorrow.”

Lena’s spine stiffened. “Is that normal treatment of prisoners here on Argo?”

Kal sighed. “I will not lie and say that a guard or another prisoner has never harmed a prisoner being held for a terrible crime. But it is always punished, and any guard found hurting prisoners or abusing their power is removed from that duty and charged for their own actions. What was done to Kara was done because of who she is and what she stands accused of.”

“Ty Vel was also accused of a horrible crime,” Lena pointed out.

“Yes, and members of his House paid off the guards to keep him safe,” Kal told her. “Again, it is being dealt with.”

“And Ty Vel?” Lena asked.

“He left Argo on a trading vessel this morning,” Kal replied.

Lena nodded. “Good.”

Kal El sighed and turned from the view. “Come, sit with me. We have much to discuss.”

Lena followed him to the nearby chairs and couches. “What do you mean?”

The King poured two glasses of water from a pitcher before answering. “I spent most of my day on an intergalactic communications channel with many of Earth’s political leaders. It was frustratingly slow, as communications are over that much distance, but we are making headway.”

“Headway toward what?” Lena asked, sipping her drink.

“The Collection was intended to last ten years,” Kal said. “And ten years have come and gone. But we have no idea yet if any of the children born to human women and Kryptonians will be omegas. We may have only delayed the inevitable.”

“If you’re suggesting the Collection be extended—“ Lena began.

“I’m not!” he argued. “Not exactly, anyway…”

“ _Not exactly?_ ” Lena exclaimed. “Do you have any idea—? No, of course you don’t, how could you? You don’t understand the fear women on Earth feel. The horrible fear that one day your name could be chosen and you will be torn from everything you know and love. How could you possibly know that?”

“Lena—“ Kal began.

“Do you know what some women do to avoid it?” Lena asked. “I had a secretary, a sweet woman. She married right out of college to avoid being Collected. Her husband liked to get drunk and use her as a punching bag on the weekends, but she was too afraid to divorce him because that would make her eligible for the Collection. He ended up killing her right before her twenty-fifth birthday. And that’s just one of the stories I’ve heard. In some countries, families literally sell their daughters to Collection agents.”

“Lena, I know, and those are all the things we want to stop,” Kal told her. He sighed. “Please, don’t get yourself into a panic. Let me explain. We’re trying to fix things.”

Lena crossed her arms. “It seems a little late for that.”

“Well, don’t humans say better late than never?” Kal asked. “When we began the Collection, we were desperate. My father made threats against the humans to get what we wanted, but we also allowed them to set rules that we never should have agreed to. I’ve been trying to change that for years now, but politics move slowly, both on Earth and on Argo. But if we’re going to continue having human females as our mates, we need to fix these things, and make it possible for our species to coexist.”

Lena blinked. “What does Lois think?”

“Oh, she’s furious that it has taken ten years for all this to happen,” Kal replied. “But I think she’s glad it’s finally happening.”

Lena was quiet for a long moment. “Alright. Tell me more.”

“What we’re proposing is a sort of exchange program,” Kal said excitedly. “It’s something we were reluctant to allow in the past because we didn’t yet know how diseases might be spread between the two species. Now we know that any bacteria or viruses that affect both of our species are rare and treatable. This means that we can allow Kryptonians to go to Earth and visit, perhaps even settle permanently. Humans can come here and do the same. A human woman would not have to leave everything, at least not permanently, nor would a Kryptonian Alpha.”

“What about the women who are already here?” Lena asked.

“This would allow mated pairs to travel back to Earth as well, and they could decide together where they want to reside permanently,” Kal told her.

“And the unmated women?”

“They will be allowed to return, if they wish, or they can remain on Argo, or even go settle on other planets if they wish,” Kal told her. “I’m also working to convince the Council to allow the unmated women to settle in other places besides Kandor. The city itself will remain a haven for the unmated women, but if they want to move, they will be able to do so.”

“Again, this seems far past due,” Lena remarked.

“The fear for so long has been that Kryptonian Alphas will harm the unmated females,” Kal told her. “But our solution was to keep the women in a box instead of punishing any Alphas who harmed them. If what I have learned about humans is true, your species did similar things throughout history, yes?”

Lena sighed. “We have.”

“Our species are not so different, I think,” Kal said, “in good ways, and bad. Perhaps that is why we are so suited for each other now.”

Lena had to agree with that. She stared at her hands for a long moment, thinking through the possibilities. “So what now?”

“Well, in the coming days I will be naming an ambassador whose main responsibility will be to travel from Argo to Earth to act in my stead with Earth’s leaders and plan for our exchange there,” Kal told her. “I’ll need someone who is savvy in Earth politics and business, but also understands Kryptonians. Someone fluent in multiple languages. Someone kind and sympathetic but also very smart and cutthroat when necessary.”

“Sounds like a unicorn,” Lena joked.

Kal blinked. “A _what_?”

“A mythical creature,” Lena explained. “Basically I’m saying you have your work cut out for you. But I’m sure you’ll find someone for the position.”

Kal sat back with a sigh. “Yes, I’m sure I will.”

The door to the living room opened and Lois stuck her head out. “Kelex is bringing dinner up soon. Will you be joining us, Lena?”

“Yes, please do,” Kal added.

“I would love to,” Lena replied.

“Then I’ll let the kitchen know to send up another serving.” Lois ducked back inside with a smile.

“After my father died, this tower felt empty,” Kal said. “Truth be told, it felt empty when he was alive. In truth, I think he lost much of himself when we lost my mother, but he stayed strong, not for me, but for our people. He taught me to rule, as best he could. He never mentioned Kara, past the war, and for a long time I assumed that she was an Omega and had died from the virus. When J’onn told me the truth, after my father’s death, I was angry, but also elated. For once I felt like perhaps I wasn’t entirely alone carrying the weight of the royal family. And Kara, well, she was kind and wonderful, everything I could’ve wanted in a cousin.”

Kal shook his head. “For a time I entertained the idea of giving the throne back to her. But members of the Council and other advisors warned against it. There are still those who believe the old ways, as you’ve seen. And the line of the monarchy had seen enough upheaval. Any more changes could make us appear even weaker to our enemies, and to the people. So it was decided that I would remain King, and Kara gave her blessing.”

“She told me on the ship that she never wanted to be Queen, she doesn’t begrudge you the title,” Lena told him.

“We’ve discussed it before,” Kal replied. “But still, I wanted to do something to right what was done to her. So I reinstated her to the House of El, made her my heir, and gave her all the status that went with it. Even that was advised against, but I did it anyway. At the time it was a simple choice; I did not have a mate and a child on the way.”

Kal looked at Lena with a deep frown. “There are a few on Argo who believe Kara should rightfully be Queen. And there are those who disagree with my decisions as King and would see me replaced with anyone, Kara included. Those people would kill me to put her on the throne.”

“But Kara doesn’t want that,” Lena pointed out.

“It doesn't matter what she wants or doesn’t want,” Kal said simply. “Until quite recently, if I were dead, the throne and all its power would fall to Kara, and I would be glad of it. She is the one person that I would trust to rule in my stead, to serve our people. And when it was only my death I had to concern myself with, that was of little concern to me.”

The King gestured toward the doorway. “But now I have a mate and a pup on the way. And those people who were once only a threat to me are now a threat to them. I must put them before myself, before any others that I hold dear, and that includes Kara.”

Lena’s heart beat loudly in her chest. “Why are you telling me this?”

Kal stood from his seat and looked back out over the edge of the balcony. “Tomorrow is Kara’s trial. Collection officials and members of the crew will testify, Russ El, Astra, and Alex. Then you will give your testimony, and finally Kara will be given a chance to defend herself. The testimonies will be used to determine Kara’s guilt or innocence, but also to influence my sentencing. But in the end, the Council will decide if she is guilty or innocent, and if she is found guilty, I will decide her sentence. I told you all of this so that you will know all of the things that weigh on my mind as I make my choice.”

“I— I understand,” Lena replied. “Does this mean you have already made up your mind?”

“No,” Kal told her. “No, I have not. Just as the Council has not made up theirs. It will be decided tomorrow.”

Lena looked down at her hands, then back up at him. “I can’t lose her, Kal. You must understand that.”

“I know,” he said, his voice shaking. He looked at her, then back over the balcony, and back again. “I cannot imagine losing my mate, even if it were when we had only known each other briefly. I can’t make any promises, Lena… But I will do my best.”

Lena swallowed down her anxiety and stood, straightening her shoulders and forcing her hands not to shake. “That is all I can ask of you.”

“Some would beg and plead for their mates,” Kal speculated.

“I know it wouldn’t do any good,” Lena said with a shrug. “You will do what is best for your people, no matter what I ask, or how you feel about it yourself.” Lena tensed her jaw. “And besides, I’m a Luthor. You may not know it, on this planet, but Luthors don’t beg.”

“Really?” Kal asked.

“No,” Lena replied. “But we do always find a way to get what we want, no matter what it takes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you’re all dying for Kara’s trial, it will be the next chapter. I’m curious what you think is going to happen. Tell me in the comments!


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara’s trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally

“Lena Luthor, you have been called before the High Council to give testimony against Kara El, who stands accused of illegal manipulation of Collection protocol, ordering the genetic modification procedure without the human’s consent, and rape—“

“Kara did _not_ rape me,” Lena declared, interrupting Jacob Kane’s listing of the charges.

The packed Council Chamber erupted into a flurry of voices. The crowd gathered was immense this time, with Kryptonians packed onto the benches behind the Councilmembers all the way to the back row. The only open space was one seat behind the King where Lena would sit after her testimony, between Alex and Winn, near Russ El and Andrea and the rest of their friends, along with the others who had testified. There were many witnesses, each giving their own retelling of Kara’s actions. Lena was the last one. As the victim of the accused crimes, her testimony carried the most weight, and she felt it on her shoulders along with the weight of the eyes that looked down at her now.

“Silence!” Kal El ordered, his voice ringing through the Chamber and bouncing off the crystal surrounding them. The audience fell silent, eyes wide as their attention turned back to Lena.

Kane frowned in frustration before continuing. “Please tell us, to the best of your ability, your account of events, beginning with your Collection.”

“Kara did not rape me,” Lena repeated

“Lena,” Astra said, her voice far more gentle than Lena had ever heard before. “Start at the beginning, please. Tell us what you remember about being Collected.”

“It was a month before the Collection was scheduled to begin,” Lena began. She gave them her honest testimony, because she knew they would question her if she left anything out or if she tried to bend the truth. Too many others had testified before her, particularly on this matter. She told them about the Collection agents appearing at her office, how she wasn’t given a writ of surrender or allowed to set her affairs in order. She told them about fleeing, and about meeting Kara in the streets.

“...That was when I lost consciousness,” Lena told them.

“Were you drugged?” Jax Ur asked.

“No,” Lena replied. “I had passed out before, in times of stress. I found out later it was because I had cancer, but at the time I didn’t know.”

The Councilmembers nodded. Jax Ur sat back in his seat. “And then?”

“I woke up in Kara’s quarters on the ship,” Lena replied. She recounted the following days to them in detail, and watched as Astra’s face fell as she described Kara’s initial behavior toward her. She told them about Andrea and Russ El taking her from Kara’s chambers and telling her what had been done, and learning from Alex that she had cancer but that they had cured it, but at a cost. And then she told them, once more, about Ty Vel’s attack, about how Kara had defended her and comforted her afterward.

“She comforted you?” J’onn interrupted. “What were your feelings toward Kara El at this point?”

“I fail to see how that’s relevant,” Max Vel pointed out.

“Just because you fail to see its relevance doesn’t make it irrelevant to the rest of us, Max,” J’onn said lowly.

“Lena?” Astra said, pulling her attention back.

“I was angry at Kara,” she replied. “But also grateful. What she did to me… It took away my choices, it was a violation in the highest degree. But it saved my life. And after talking to her more, I realized that she did what she did to save my life, not to force me to be her mate. And because of that, I forgave her.”

“Some might think that you forgave her fairly quickly, given the circumstances,” J’onn commented. “But you were not coerced?”

“No, never,” Lena replied. “My feelings for Kara… I don’t know how to explain it. I felt a connection to her the moment we met, and even after everything she did, it was still there. It scares me, at times, how quickly I felt things for her— trust, forgiveness, affection, love. But that doesn’t negate that I do feel these things, and it doesn’t make me feel them any less.”

Another murmuring went up around the room, and Lena couldn’t help but reach up and touch the bite mark on her neck. She had worn her hair up and a shirt with a larger neck specifically so it was on display. She wanted no doubt in the Council’s mind, or that of the gathered audience, that she and Kara were mated.

“Quiet!” Kal shouted, pulling the audience back to the matter at hand. “Tell us what happened next, Lena.”

“I told Kara that I forgave her, and she asked to officially court me, and I said yes,” Lena replied with a smile. She told them of their courtship, though she kept some discussions private. It felt strange, to bear all of this to what were mostly strangers, but it was necessary. “And then, after several weeks of getting to know one another, I decided that I wanted Kara to be my mate. So I went to her room, and well…”

Lena felt her cheeks flushed and she reached up and gingerly touched her mating mark again. She hoped that she wouldn’t have to give any more sordid details about the mating process, but if it meant helping Kara…

“You went to her room?” Selena Daru asked.

“Yes,” Lena replied.

“Had she invited you?” Elsa asked.

“No,” Lena replied. “She had no idea that I was going to come to her, or what I was there for. Completing the mating bond was all my idea.”

“Perhaps,” Dru Zod said. “But what other choice did you have?”

“Kara gave me every choice,” Lena replied. “I could’ve chosen another Alpha, but I chose her. In spite of what she did, I forgave her, I love her, and I chose her. And if I could go back to that night, I would choose her again and again. If you told me now that I could choose her or another, I would choose her.” Lena took a deep breath. “If you gave me the choice now to go back to Earth and leave all of this behind, I would _still choose her_.”

The room was so silent that Lena could hear her own pulse in her ears, could almost feel the very pulse of the room.

“Lena, I have one more question for you,” J’onn said finally. “Over the last several days, since you have been parted from Kara El, how have you felt?”

Lena’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand the question.”

“Physically and emotionally, how has the separation affected you?” J’onn asked.

“Again I fail to see—“ Max Vel began.

“Quiet,” Selena hissed.

“I’ve been anxious,” Lena replied, “depressed, and on edge. I’ve barely been able to eat or sleep. My body aches constantly.”

J’onn nodded and several other members of the Council looked sympathetic as well.

“Thank you for your testimony, Miss Luthor,” Kal said finally. “You may leave, or you may join the other witnesses behind me.”

Lena took a deep breath and clenched her hands against her thighs, trying to will them to not shake as she left the chamber. She expected the hall outside to be empty save for a guard, just as it had been the last time she was there. She didn’t expect to almost run into her mate.

It took a moment for her mind to catch up with the reality standing in front of her. They had only been apart for a week, but it felt longer to Lena. But somehow, standing just inches away from her mate, it felt like the air suddenly became easier to breathe.

“Kara!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the Alpha’s form and squeezing so hard that the blonde grunted with the force.

“Lena,” Kara murmured into her hair, wrapping her own arms around her.

Lena expected to be pulled away, but when that didn’t come, she risked a look at the guards. She wasn’t particularly surprised to see Kate Kane standing to one side and Ava Sharpe to the other, both looking pointedly away from her and Kara. Lena squeezed again and Kara grunted, but this time it sounded like pain.

“Kara?” Lena asked hesitantly, pulling away, but Kara kept her close.

“It’s nothing,” she said, but the bruise around her eye, now faded to a sickening yellow, made Lena believe the opposite.

“The Council now calls Kara El in her own defense!”

Lena’s heart began thundering in her chest as Jacob Kane’s voice rang from the other side of the door. Kara looked down at her sadly, then reluctantly stepped back, smoothing down her shirt as she did so.

“How do I look?” she asked, mouth twisting up in a wry grin.

Lena blinked as she took in her mate. Her hair was clean, swept back into a curled ponytail, and her uniform was neat and perfectly pressed. A dark red cape, similar to the one Kal El wore, fell from her shoulders to her knees, and the symbol of the House of El was embroidered in golden thread on her chest.

“You look very handsome,” Lena told her honestly. “But, I have one suggestion.”

Kara frowned as Lena reached up and unfastened the neck of her uniform, loosening it and pulling the fabric away from one side as she folded the collar down and tucked it inside.

“There,” Lena said, running her fingers over the mating bite on Kara’s neck. “Now they can all see that I claimed you as mine.”

Kara’s eyes widened, then a slow smile crossed her face. “I love you, Lena.”

“I love you, too, Kara,” Lena assured her, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss to the corner of the Alpha’s lips. “Now go. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Lena watched as Ava led Kara into the Chamber, then turned to Kate as the door shut. “Do you think that was a good idea?”

“I think it was genius,” Kate told her. “May I escort you to the witnesses’ seating?”

Lena followed Kate up into the audience and made her way through the crowd until she found the empty space beside Alex. Below them, Jacob Kane began reading the accusations.

“Kara El, you have been brought before the High Council today to stand trial for accusations of illegal manipulation of Collection protocol, ordering the genetic modification procedure without the human’s consent, and rape of one Lena Luthor. The Council has reviewed all evidence and testimony against you. Today you will be given an opportunity to defend yourself against these charges, and then the Council will make its decision on your guilt or innocence and make a recommendation of sentencing to our King. Do you understand this process?”

“I understand,” Kara replied, her voice much stronger than the day before.

“Then you may begin your defense.”

Kara took a deep breath and looked around at the Council, then at the audience gathered, and finally her eyes landed on Lena.

“I will address the final accusation first,” she said. “When Lena and I mated, it was completely consensual. She came to me, she made the decision to be my mate. There was no coercion, no force. She chose me, in spite of any earlier actions, and I will forever be grateful and in awe that she made that choice.

“As for the other charges,” Kara sighed and gave Lena a regretful look. “I used my status as a member of the royal house and captain of a Collection vessel to access Lena Luthor’s medical files, and to bribe and manipulate human Collection officials. I used my status and abused the trust of those I consider friends and family to gain access to information about her, and to order a medical officer to perform the genetic modification procedure without Lena’s consent.”

Lena clutched at Alex’s hand as a collective gasp escaped the gathered Kryptonians.

“Shh,” Alex whispered in her ear. “This was her plan all along.”

“Are you saying that you are _guilty_ , Lady El?” Max Vel asked, his voice almost amused.

“I am saying that I did all of those things,” Kara replied, her voice even. “However, I ask that you read the exact wording of the laws I am accused of breaking.”

There was a long moment of silence, then Selena Daru began reciting the law. “The law against Collection manipulation reads that a Kryptonian will not, by bribery, threats, or coercion, manipulate the Collection process for the benefit of the Kryptonian.”

“Yes,” Kara agreed. “And the law against performing the genetic modification procedure without the human’s consent?”

“A Kryptonian Alpha will not subject a human to the genetic modification procedure without their explicit consent, in order to claim that human as their mate,” Nair San read.

Kara nodded. “Each of these laws were created to prevent Alphas from forcing certain human women to become their mates, against the humans’ wills. However, my motivation for my actions was never to force Lena to be my mate. Rather, it was to save her life. If she had chosen to mate with another Kryptonian, I admit that I would’ve been disappointed, crushed, but I would’ve lived with her decision. I wouldn’t force her to become my mate.”

The audience members began whispering amongst themselves yet again, only to be interrupted by Jacob Kane.

“You expect us to believe—“ he began.

“Perhaps you should start from the beginning,” Astra interrupted, and the room fell silent.

“Yes, give us your side of things, from the first time you saw Miss Luthor,” J’onn commanded.

It was a retelling that Lena had heard before, that Kara had told her almost as a sacramental confession. It had baffled Lena at first— that Kara could feel such a connection to her from only seeing her image from Lex’s trial, that she would feel so much for a complete stranger. But now, _now_ it was starting to make sense to Lena.

“When I brought Lena on board the ship, I took her to the Med Bay,” Kara told them. “Chief Medical Officer Alex Danvers examined her, and she determined that the tumors in Lena’s brain were pressing on her spinal cord. There was no guarantee that she would ever regain consciousness, or if that pressure would cause her cardiovascular system to stop. Our nanite treatment would shrink the tumors, but only changing her DNA would stop the spread of the cancer. So I ordered Alex to begin the genetic modification procedure and to use my vial of genetic material to do so.”

“And you claim that you did this without any selfish motivation?” Max Vel asked, his voice almost a bark of laughter. “You had no intention of forcing Miss Luthor to be your mate after this?”

Kara looked down at her feet. “Believe me, Lord Max Vel, I may be the cousin of the King but I also grew up the daughter of the man who nearly destroyed our people. I never imagined that I would have a mate of my own, that I would use my vial. I felt affection and attraction for Lena, I wanted her as my mate— I won’t deny that. I certainly planned to pursue her, to ask her to consider my courtship. But I had no intention of trying to force her to mate with me against her will.”

“Then how do you explain your later behavior?” Nair Stan asked. “According to Lena Luthor and Russ El’s testimony, you kept Lena in your quarters and told her that she was to be your mate.”

Kara’s cheeks turned pink and she looked toward Astra, who nodded solemnly.

“I did so on my Aunt’s counsel,” Kara replied. “When she found out what I had done, Astra berated me for my foolishness, for using my only chance at a mate on Lena. She told me that I should portray myself as a strong Alpha, and that Lena would eventually come to accept her fate and accept me as her mate.”

“I have already testified to this,” Astra continued. “I was wrong, and I am very thankful that my advice did not permanently damage Kara’s relationship with her mate.”

“Even with Astra’s advice, I never intended to force Lena to mate with me,” Kara replied. “And when she finally forgave me and agreed to courtship, I was… amazed.”

Kara told them about their courtship though, like Lena, she kept certain things that needed to be private _private_.

“I never touched Lena without her permission,” Kara told them. “She gave me her consent to kiss her, and anything more that happened between us. The night we mated, she came to me and made her intentions known. Our claim is reciprocal; I gave her a mating bite first, but she gave me her own bite afterward. And since then our bond has only grown stronger.”

Kara shook her head. “I have done things that I regret, done things in ways that I should not have. But I do not regret saving Lena. I have told my mate many times that I would gladly give my own life, or spend it in prison, if it meant that she lived. But that was before we were mated, before I saw the possibility of a life with her. Now I only ask that you allow me to share the rest of my life with my mate. Do not take her away from me, or me from her.”

The room was silent for a long moment. Then Astra spoke.

“I move that the Council vote on each charge separately, beginning with the final charge of rape.”

“I second this motion,” J’onn said.

“Those in favor?” Jacob Kane asked, and all of the Council members raised their hands. “Fine, do any of you need time to deliberate on this vote?”

The Councilmembers all shook their heads, and Lena held her breath.

“Then I call a vote,” Kal announced. “J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Selena Daru of the Religious Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

As each member of the Council gave their vote of _not guilty_ Lena felt relief slowly fill her body.

“The Council votes unanimously not guilty on the charge of rape,” Kal declared. “Now, the charge of manipulating Collection protocol. Do any of you need time to deliberate on this vote?”

“I would like to put forth a theory for the Council to consider,” J’onn declared, and a few of the Councilmembers sighed in exasperation— Lena thought Selena even groaned.

“You have the floor,” Kal replied.

J’onn stood behind his seat. “The Book of Rao describes the creation of the first Kryptonians, Alpha and Omega. It says that Rao gave these first mates the ability to recognize one another. And throughout our people’s history, there are stories of mated pairs recognizing one another upon first glance. These pairs experienced a powerful bond, even before the physical act of mating and claiming. Some called them blessed pairs, some fated mates, and some referred to them as soul mates. But as our species grew and expanded, this bond became rarer. It became something that many did not even believe in, but every so often a mated pair would claim such a bond. I myself have always felt that I experienced such a bond with my mate, Myriah.”

“Whether or not these bonds ever existed, they were between Kryptonian Alphas and Omegas,” Dru Zod interjected. “When the Omegas died, the possibility of those kinds of bonds died with them.”

“Perhaps not,” J’onn argued. “I have spoken to many bonded pairs of Kryptonian Alphas and human women. The first mated pair, before the beginning of the Collection, Tekosh Vel and Kyong Nam-Sun, believed that they shared such a bond. I posit that even our King and his mate Lois Lane share such a bond.”

“And I suppose you believe that if Kara El and Lena Luthor have such a bond, then Kara should not be held responsible for her actions?” Jacob Kane asked.

“No, I did not say that,” J’onn replied, looking down at Kara with a frown. “We must all take responsibility for our choices. I am just saying that such a bond would certainly explain the depth of Kara’s emotions for Lena so quickly. It would also explain the physical symptoms Lena is feeling due to their separation. I imagine Kara is also suffering similar symptoms.”

The Councilmembers all turned their eyes toward Kara in curiosity, but it was Selena Daru who spoke.

“Since your separation from your mate, have you experienced any physical or emotional symptoms?”

Kara’s brow crinkled in consideration. “I have had difficulty sleeping. My stomach is in knots. My Alpha is on edge, defensive and aggressive. My temper is very much on edge.”

J’onn nodded in confirmation. “As I said, I am not arguing that Kara should not be held responsible. I am only suggesting that perhaps we should take such a bond into consideration when deciding our verdict, and that our King should take it into consideration when deciding Kara’s sentencing, if necessary.”

The priest of Rao took his seat once again. Lena’s mind was a whir as she considered his words. She looked at Alex.

“What do you think of all that?”

“Shh,” Alex shushed her, but Lena squeezed her hand until it was almost painful as Kal began calling the Council to order again. “I don’t know what to think. J’onn thinks Sam and I have the same sort of bond and… I never believed in it before, but after feeling what I feel for Sam, I’m just not sure. And honestly, I’m not sure if it changes anything.”

It might not change anything, but it certainly explained a lot to Lena. But she couldn’t dwell on what felt like it should be a momentous discovery, because Kal was calling for a vote on the next charge against Kara.

“...on the charge of manipulating Collection protocol,” Kal was saying. “J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild?”

J’onn sighed and looked down at his lap before looking back up. “Guilty.”

“Selena Daru of the Religious Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Jacob Kane of the Labor Guild?”

“Guilty.”

With every _guilty_ vote, Lena’s earlier relief was replaced by intense fear. Finally they came to the final vote.

“Astra Ze of the Military Guild?”

The regret on the General’s face was enough to tell Lena her vote before she spoke. “Guilty.”

Lena managed to choke back the sob that threatened to escape her throat. Alex pulled her tightly into her side, shushing her.

“How could they all vote guilty?” Lena whispered. “After everything…?”

“Shh, there is another vote,” Alex cooed, though Lena could feel the other Alpha shaking with emotion as well.

“Finally, on the charge of ordering the genetic modification procedure without the human’s consent, I call for a vote,” Kal said. “J’onn J’onzz of the Religious Guild?”

“Because Kara El ordered the procedure be performed in order to cure Miss Luthor’s cancer and not for her own gain, I vote not guilty,” J’onn declared.

“Selena Daru of the Religious Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Jul Us of the Labor Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Jacob Kane of the Labor Guild?”

The usually stoic man was quiet for a moment. “Not guilty.”

“Elsa Van of the Artisans Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Nair Stan of the Artisan’s Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Max Vel of the Science Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Jax Ur of the Science Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

“Dru Zod of the Military Guild?”

“Guilty.”

“Astra Ze of the Military Guild?”

“Not guilty.”

Lena was keeping track of the vote on her fingers, and she let out another sob, this time in relief.

“The vote stands seven not guilty to three guilty,” Kal El declared. “Thus, Kara El, you are found not guilty of this charge.”

The entire Chamber seemed to be sitting on the edge of their seats as the King composed himself. Lena hated where she was sitting, because she couldn’t see Kal’s face, but she could see Kara’s. Her mate’s eyes were fixed on her cousin, her face calm but resigned.

“Kara El, you have been found guilty of manipulating Collection protocol,” Kal said finally. “The precedent for punishment for such an act is life imprisonment on Argo. However, I must weigh all of the testimony at hand. Your motive for such manipulation, according to your own testimony, was not personal gain, but rather to save Lena Luthor’s life. Furthermore, if you and Lena truly share the type of bond that J’onn has described, imprisoning you and keeping you from your mate would not only harm you, but would cause Lena herself a lifetime of torment, and I cannot allow that to happen.

“However, such an act cannot go unpunished,” Kal continued. “In order to manipulate the Collection procedure, you used your status as a member of the royal family and as a captain of a Collection vessel. And so, my sentence stands thus: You are henceforth stripped of all royal titles of Krypton and Argo. You are no longer my heir, no longer recognized as part of the royal family, though you may keep your surname as a member of the greater House of El. You are also stripped of all military titles and roles. Do you understand this order?”

“Yes, your highness,” Kara said with a brisk nod.

“Very well,” Kal said with a nod. “This concludes today’s trials.”

The room erupted into sound, but Lena could hardly hear it. She only had eyes for Kara, who stood in the center of the room with an expression of shock on her face.

Suddenly there was a loud shout, and Kal El stood from his chair.

“Members of the High Council,” he said, drawing attention back to him. “While I have you gathered together, I have one more item of business to which we must attend.”

The audience quieted down again, but looks of confusion spread across every face gathered. Lena looked at Alex, who shrugged, then she looked to Kara, who looked just as confused as everyone else.

“This is highly unusual, your highness,” Jacob Kane said. “Surely such business can wait until the next time we convene?”

“I’m afraid the leaders from Earth require an answer before that time,” Kal said. “Please, everyone have a seat.”

Once the audience and the Councilmembers had all sat back down, and even Kara had sat near the edge of the arena, Kal began.

“Ever since I became King, I have been working to change the Collection procedures,” Kal began. “And once I met my own mate, these changes became even more important to me. But politics are slow, particularly when communicating across galaxies. The Collection has ended, but whether or not our species is safe is a question that we do not have an answer to yet.

“And so, with the leaders of Earth, and this Council, we have been working toward making a new arrangement,” Kal continued, “an arrangement where our planets can work together and our people can meet and mingle. To plan such an arrangement, we need a representative to Earth who knows both of our worlds, who will ensure the safety and happiness of Kryptonians and humans. We need an ambassador.”

“Will you be taking suggestions for this most prestigious appointment?” Max Vel asked.

“No,” Kal replied simply. “As King it is my duty to appoint such figures, and I have already made my decision. I have chosen someone who I believe already holds as much love for Argo and the Kryptonians who call it home as she does for her own people.”

“You’ve chosen a human?” Jacob Kane exclaimed.

“I have,” Kal replied with a nod. Then, abruptly, he turned around, and his eyes zeroed in on Lena. “As the Argonian ambassador to Earth, I appoint Lena Luthor of House El.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo we got there!
> 
> Is anyone surprised or did I make it too obvious?
> 
> Also, send good thoughts my way. I go back to work tomorrow (teaching full time in person during a pandemic...) and where I live we are currently in a critical risk area for COVID where we’re supposed to be avoiding all social contact because of uncontrolled community spread.


End file.
